Authority:

Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1979. Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (3): 1493-2142. (Published by NYBG Press)

Family:

Bromeliaceae

Synonyms:

Nidularium karatas (L.) Lem. ex Griseb., Bromelia karatas L., Bromelia acaulis Stokes, Bromelia nudicaulis var. caraguata Lam.

Description:

Description - Leaves many in a dense spreading rosette, 15-30 dm long, not constricted; sheaths large, broadly triangular, entire or somewhat serrate toward the apex, densely lepidote with elongate coarse dark brown scales; blades linear, attenuate, pungent, 3-5 cm wide, very minutely appressed-lepidote beneath, densely serrate with stout brown teeth 5-8 mm long. Scape very short or none. Inflorescence many-flowered, densely corymbose, surrounded by cinnabar-red inner leaves; primary bracts like the inner leaves but with shorter blades. Floral bracts narrowly oblanceolate, attaining the middle of the sepals, entire or sparsely serrate, membranaceous, coarsely lepidote; flowers 6-9 cm long; pedicels very short and stout. Sepals narrowly lanceolate, acute but not mucronate, 3 cm long, erect, free, coarsely brown-lepidote; petals narrowly lanceolate, to 4 cm long, connate for more than 2 cm, glabrous, fleshy, rose with white base and margins; ovary triangular-prismatic, densely brown-lepidote. Fruit fusiform, 8 cm long, 2 cm in diameter.

Distribution:

Mexico North America| Sinaloa Mexico North America| San Luis Potosí Mexico North America| Nayarit Mexico North America| Jalisco Mexico North America| Yucatán Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Petén Guatemala Central America| Huehuetenango Guatemala Central America| Alta Verapaz Guatemala Central America| El Progreso Guatemala Central America| Belize Central America| Honduras Central America| Morazán Honduras Central America| Panama Central America| Panamá Panama Central America| Cuba South America| Dominican Republic South America| Guadeloupe South America| Martinique South America| Colombia South America| Magdalena Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America| Nariño Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Delta Amacuro Venezuela South America| Anzoátegui Venezuela South America| Distrito Federal Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Guyana South America| Demerara Guyana South America| Suriname South America| Ecuador South America| El Oro Ecuador South America| Brazil South America| Maranhão Brazil South America| Ceará Brazil South America| Pernambuco Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Goiás Brazil South America|

Common Names:

Piñuela, aguama casuela, cham, chom, ping-wing, gravatá, piña