RUBINA AKHTER and SHAHINA A. GHAZANFAR

Probably monocarpic. Plant up to 1.5 m. Trunk erect or prostrate, covered with remains of old leaves. Leaves forming a rosette, erect, up to 60 cm, constricted at the neck, greyish-green, sometimes glaucous, hardly channelled. Apical spine 1-1.5 cm, black to dark reddish-brown; marginal spines hooked upwards. Inflorescence large paniculate. Flowers in clusters on the terminal portion of the branches. Perianth lobes slightly longer than the ovary segments. Stamens exserted. filaments c. 2.5-3.5 cm, anthers c. 8-13 mm.

Type: Not designated: Native locality not known.

Naturalized in the sub-himalayan tract and in the outer Himalaya. Cultivated in gardens often as a hedge plant. Distinguished by its closely arranged, short stiff erect leaves. Specimens collected from Karachi District are probably the var. marginata Trel. with white margined leaves (see Bailey 1:232.1919).