Vriesea gigantea Gaudich.

  • 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

    Vriesea gigantea Gaudich.

  • Type

    Type. Gaudichaud 127 in part (holotype P, GH photo; isotype B, F photo 11467), Ilha de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

  • Synonyms

    Tillandsia gigantea G.M.Ruch., Tillandsia tessellata Linden, Vriesea tessellata (Linden) E.Morren, Tillandsia reticulata Baker, Vriesea tesellata sanderae Sander, Vriesea tessellata variegata Wittm., Vriesea reticulata (Baker) Mez, Vriesea mosenii Mez, Vriesea alexandrae Sander

  • Description

    Description - Plant flowering 2 m high. Leaves many in a large broadly funnelform rosette, 6-10 dm long, minutely appressed-lepidote on both sides; sheaths large, very broadly elliptic, densely castaneous-lepidote; blades ligulate, broadly acute and apiculate, 6-9 cm wide, flat, wholly green; scape erect, stout; scape-bracts subfoliaceous, acuminate, suberect, densely imbricate. Inflorescence laxly bipinnate, 1 m or longer, ca 4 dm in diameter, nearly glabrous; primary bracts ovate, acuminate, shorter than the sterile bases of the branches; branches divergent, all subequal, laxly many-flowered, to 45 cm long with a long sterile base bearing 1-2 bracts; rhachis flexuous. Floral bracts broadly elliptic, subacute, to 3 cm long, equaling the middle of the sepals, convex, ecarinate, not incurved, coriaceous; flowers distichous, rarely somewhat secund, suberect. Sepals elliptic, subacute, to 37 mm long, ecarinate; petals ligulate, obtuse, 4-5 cm long, greenish yellow, bearing 2 long acute scales at base, exceeding the stamens; filaments enlarged toward apex. Capsule cylindric, acute, 4 cm long.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial and Epiphytic in coastal forest, 5-500 m alt, Espírito Santo to Rio Grande do Sul in eastern Brazil.

    Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Paraná Brazil South America| Santa Catarina Brazil South America| Rio Grande do Sul Brazil South America|