Tillandsia capitata Griseb.
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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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Description
Description - Plant stemless, 2-5 dm high. Leaves densely rosulate, curved, equaling or exceeding the inflorescence when extended, densely and coarsely pale-appressed-lepidote through-out; sheaths broadly ovate or elliptic, to 9 cm long, ferruginous; blades narrowly triangular, attenuate, 1-3 cm wide at the base, involute-subulate toward the apex. Scape erect or ascending, 6 mm in diameter; scape-bracts densely imbricate, foliaceous, their blades exceeding the inflorescence or spreading to reflexed, the upper ones subinvolucrate below the inflorescence, usually tinged with red. Inflorescence depauperate-compound or pseudo-simple and polystichous-flowered, densely capitate, ellipsoid, 4-7 cm long; primary bracts like the upper scape-bracts but with very short blades, much exceeding the axillary spikes; spikes sessile, ovate, densely 1-5-flowered with 1 or 2 sterile bracts at the base, complanate. Floral bracts ovate, acute, to 35 mm long, equaling the sepals, carinate, chartaceous, lepidote at least toward the apex; flowers subsessile. Sepals lance-oblong, acute, membranaceous, carinate and short-connate posteriorly; petals tubular-erect, narrow, 35-50 mm long, blue; stamens exserted. Capsule slenderly cylindric, acute, 27 mm long.