Tillandsia polita L.B.Sm.
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Authority
Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (2): 663-1492. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Bromeliaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Standley 62465 (holotype F), Quiche to San Pedro Jocopilas, Quiche, Guatemala, 12 Jan 1939.
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Description
Description - Plant stemless, flowering to 45 cm high. Leaves many in a dense rosette, 3 dm long; sheaths narrowly ovate, dark brown, covered with minute appressed scales; blades very narrowly triangular, attenuate, subpungent, 15 mm wide, covered with minute subspreading cinereous scales. Scape erect, 6 mm in diameter, glabrous; scape-bracts erect, densely imbricate, the lowest foliaceous, the highest broadly ovate, acuminate, sparsely punctulate-lepidote, even, lustrous. Inflorescence very densely bipinnate, stout-fusiform, 11 cm long; primary bracts like the upper scape-bracts, much shorter than the spikes; spikes suberect, narrowly lanceolate, acute, to 55 mm long, 15 mm wide, strongly complanate, densely 5-flowered, bearing reduced sterile bracts at base. Floral bracts densely imbricate, 20-25 mm long, distinctly shorter than the sepals, carinate, minutely incurved at apex, coriaceous, glabrous, lustrous, obscurely punctulate-lepidote at apex, bright red; flowers subsessile. Sepals narrowly lanceolate, acute, nearly 3 cm long, carinate and high-connate posteriorly, sparsely punctulate-lepidote toward apex; petals erect, narrow, ca 45 mm long, violet; stamens exserted.
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Distribution
Epiphytic in woods, 1600-1900 m alt, southern Mexico, Guatemala, Salvador.
Mexico North America| Chiapas Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Huehuetenango Guatemala Central America| Zacapa Guatemala Central America| El Salvador Central America| Santa Ana El Salvador Central America|