Tillandsia insignis (Mez) L.B.Sm. & Pittendr.

  • Authority

    Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (2): 663-1492. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Bromeliaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Tillandsia insignis (Mez) L.B.Sm. & Pittendr.

  • Type

    Type. Morren Icon s n (holotype K), based on Pfau 229 (LG, n v) Chiriqui, ("Costa Rica") Panama.

  • Synonyms

    Pepinia insignis E.Morren ex Baker, Guzmania insignis Mez, Thecophyllum insigne (Mez) Mez

  • Description

    Description - Plant long-caulescent, the flowering scape 12 cm high; stem 3-4 dm long in addition, simple or branched, to 6 mm in diameter, wholly concealed by the leaf-sheaths. Leaves very many, densely polystichous along the stem, 1-2 dm long, fimbriate-lepidote along the margin; sheaths broadly elliptic-ovate, 3 cm long, very dark-castaneous, densely pale-appressed-lepidote toward the apex; blades linear, attenuate, not over 5 mm wide, flat, green, pale-appressed-lepidote beneath when young, soon glabrous. Scape erect, very slender, distinguished from the stem only by the coloration of its bracts; scape-bracts erect or divergent, imbricate, bright red, lanceolate with an elongate linear attenuate green blade. Inflorescence laxly few-flowered, 4-9 cm long, glabrous; primary bracts like the scape-bracts but at least the upper ones wholly bright red, exceeding the sepals and all but the uppermost flowers; branches 1-flowered, slender, 2-3 mm long, about equaling the pedicels and distinguished from them only by the position of the floral bracts. Floral bracts 2 on each branch, one sometimes bearing a very reduced sterile flower, elliptic, obtuse, 5 mm long, much shorter than the sepals, thin; flowers suberect to spreading, usually secund. Sepals elliptic, obtuse, 8-9 mm long, ecarinate, coriaceous, red, free; petals naked, oblong-obovate, obtuse, 13-15 mm long, dark purple; stamens and pistil included. Capsule slenderly ovoid, acute, barely exceeding the sepals.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial and epiphytic in rainforest, 900-2700 m alt, Costa Rica and Panama.

    Costa Rica South America| Heredia Costa Rica Central America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Coclé Panamá Central America| Bocas del Toro Panamá Central America| Chiriquí Panamá Central America|