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
Synonyms:
Aechmea sprucei Mez
Aechmea sprucei Mez
Description:
Description - Plant 6-10 dm high. Leaves many in a dense rosette, 6-11 dm long, covered with a pale membrane of coalesced scales; sheaths large, elliptic, entire; blades ligulate, broadly acute or rounded and apiculate with a stout terminal spine, 7-10 cm wide, rigid, green, densely serrate with dark straight or slightly curved spines 4 mm long. Scape erect, slender, white-flocculose; scape-bracts elliptic, acuminate, pungent, rose, laxly serrulate, the lower erect, usually lax, the upper spreading and massed beneath the inflorescence. Inflorescence paniculate, dense or subdense, many-flowered, to 45 cm long, 10 cm in diameter, its indument of subulate trichomes; lower primary bracts like the scape-bracts, the others greatly reduced; branches spreading, 4-6-flowered; rhachis geniculate, terete, slender, green. Floral bracts spreading, narrowly triangular from an ovate base, pungent, shorter than the ovary, entire with free margins; flowers suberect, to 17 mm long. Sepals strongly asymmetric, subfree, 5 mm long without the terminal spine; petals ligulate, obtuse, 12 mm long, lilac, bearing 2 subentire scales above the base; ovary ellipsoid, stout, epigynous tube short; placentae apical; ovules long-caudate.
Description - Plant 6-10 dm high. Leaves many in a dense rosette, 6-11 dm long, covered with a pale membrane of coalesced scales; sheaths large, elliptic, entire; blades ligulate, broadly acute or rounded and apiculate with a stout terminal spine, 7-10 cm wide, rigid, green, densely serrate with dark straight or slightly curved spines 4 mm long. Scape erect, slender, white-flocculose; scape-bracts elliptic, acuminate, pungent, rose, laxly serrulate, the lower erect, usually lax, the upper spreading and massed beneath the inflorescence. Inflorescence paniculate, dense or subdense, many-flowered, to 45 cm long, 10 cm in diameter, its indument of subulate trichomes; lower primary bracts like the scape-bracts, the others greatly reduced; branches spreading, 4-6-flowered; rhachis geniculate, terete, slender, green. Floral bracts spreading, narrowly triangular from an ovate base, pungent, shorter than the ovary, entire with free margins; flowers suberect, to 17 mm long. Sepals strongly asymmetric, subfree, 5 mm long without the terminal spine; petals ligulate, obtuse, 12 mm long, lilac, bearing 2 subentire scales above the base; ovary ellipsoid, stout, epigynous tube short; placentae apical; ovules long-caudate.
Distribution:
Costa Rica South America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Colombia South America| Vichada Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Lara Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Maranhão Brazil South America| Ceará Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America|
Costa Rica South America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Colombia South America| Vichada Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Lara Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Maranhão Brazil South America| Ceará Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America|