Monographs Details:
Authority:
Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1979. Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (3): 1493-2142. (Published by NYBG Press)
Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1979. Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (3): 1493-2142. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:
Bromeliaceae
Bromeliaceae
Description:
Description - Plant 5-17 dm or higher. Leaves about 20, 3 to over 10 dm long, sheaths elliptic, very large and conspicuous, forming an ellipsoid tank, densely and finely brown-lepidote; blades ligulate, from acuminate to rounded-apiculate, 3-10 cm wide, coriaceous, pale green, concolorous, soon glabrous above, densely white-lepidote beneath, coarsely repand-serrate, the teeth lax, spreading, straight or uncinate, to 1 cm long. Scape erect, relatively slender, finely white-lanate at first; scape-bracts usually imbricate, lanceolate, acute, entire, bright red. Inflorescence amply paniculate, thyrsoid or pyramidal with the lower branches elongate and much divided, 10-65 cm long; axes red, white-pubescent; lower primary bracts like the scape-bracts, sometimes exceeding the axillary branches; spikes spreading, laxly and distichously 4-17-flowered; rhachis slender, compressed, angled, flexuous. Floral bracts spreading, broadly ovate, acute, aciculous, 5-8 mm long, much exceeded by the sepals, more or less nerved, the margins free and entire; flowers sessile, divergent. Sepals triangular-ovate, strongly asymmetric, mucronulate, 3-4 mm long, soon glabrous; petals linear, to 1 cm long, yellow, bearing 2 coarsely dentate scales well above the base; stamens included; ovary stout-ellipsoid or subglobose, enlarged in fruit; placentae apical; ovules caudate.
Description - Plant 5-17 dm or higher. Leaves about 20, 3 to over 10 dm long, sheaths elliptic, very large and conspicuous, forming an ellipsoid tank, densely and finely brown-lepidote; blades ligulate, from acuminate to rounded-apiculate, 3-10 cm wide, coriaceous, pale green, concolorous, soon glabrous above, densely white-lepidote beneath, coarsely repand-serrate, the teeth lax, spreading, straight or uncinate, to 1 cm long. Scape erect, relatively slender, finely white-lanate at first; scape-bracts usually imbricate, lanceolate, acute, entire, bright red. Inflorescence amply paniculate, thyrsoid or pyramidal with the lower branches elongate and much divided, 10-65 cm long; axes red, white-pubescent; lower primary bracts like the scape-bracts, sometimes exceeding the axillary branches; spikes spreading, laxly and distichously 4-17-flowered; rhachis slender, compressed, angled, flexuous. Floral bracts spreading, broadly ovate, acute, aciculous, 5-8 mm long, much exceeded by the sepals, more or less nerved, the margins free and entire; flowers sessile, divergent. Sepals triangular-ovate, strongly asymmetric, mucronulate, 3-4 mm long, soon glabrous; petals linear, to 1 cm long, yellow, bearing 2 coarsely dentate scales well above the base; stamens included; ovary stout-ellipsoid or subglobose, enlarged in fruit; placentae apical; ovules caudate.