If your current node is: row//basket/flower[@type='tulip']

Then the previous non-tulip flower node is:
ancestor::flower[@type!='tulip']

And you can get (print) the previous flower type like this:
<xsl:apply-templates select="ancestor::flower[@type!='tulip']"/>

<xsl:template match="flower">
	<xsl:value-of select="@type"/>
</xsl:template>

Or maybe I don't quite understand the requirements...

On 27 Jan 2006 at 17:28, Andrea Berman wrote:

> It's Friday!  Please, have pity upon me and save my sanity!
> 
> Say I have the following style of XML:
> 
> <row>
>    <basket>
>      <flower type="rose">
>        <basket>
>          <flower type="tulip">
>            <basket>
>               ...
>            </basket>
>          </flower>
>        </basket>
>      </flower>
>    </basket>
> </row>
> 
> If I'm at node "flower" with type of "tulip", how do I reference the
> previous flower's type?
> 
> 
> Thanks!