Authority:

Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

Family:

Bromeliaceae

Description:

Species Description - Epiphytic or terrestrial acaulescent herb, forming small clusters; rhizomes short, prostrate, and stout. Leaves fasciculate, recurved, 30-45 cm long, rigidly coriaceous, tapering from a 3- 4.5 cm wide base to a long-acuminate apex; upper leaves ascending, smaller. Scape erect, stout, shorter than the leaves, with densely imbricate bracts; inflorescences 4-6, simple or compound, distichous compressed spikes, 5-15 x 2-3 cm, many-flowered; floral bracts rigid-coriaceous, 3-4 cm long, lanceolate-ovate, overlapping, turning from green to straw-colored. Flowers sessile; sepals lanceolate, keeled, much shorter than the subtending bract; petals white to purple, linear, tubular, erect, 4-6 cm long; stamens and pistil exserted. Capsule fusiform, 3-4 cm long. Seeds numerous, 2-3 mm long, light brown, with hairs ca. 2 cm long.

Distribution:

Saint John Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America|