Vriesea heliconioides (Kunth) Hook. ex Walp.
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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 rarely flowering over 4 dm high. Leaves about 2 dm long, green above, suffused with red and sometimes spotted below; sheaths distinct, ovate-elliptic, obscurely punctulate-lepidote; blades ligulate, acute or acuminate, 15-30 mm wide, subglabrous. Scape erect, usually much shorter than the leaves; scape-bracts erect, very densely imbricate, very broadly ovate, abruptly acute. Inflorescence simple, oblong in outline, densely 6-18-flowered, to 20 cm long, 6 cm wide. Floral bracts very broadly ovate and triangular-acute or subrhombic, to 45 mm long, chartaceous, the base suberect, the middle spreading horizontally and the apex incurved and sharply carinate, bright red above the middle, greenish yellow at the apex; flowers erect, or suberect, subsessile, about 6 cm long. Sepals lanceolate, acuminate, 27 mm long, thin; petals white, ligulate, acute, each bearing 2 ovate obtuse entire scales; stamens shorter than the petals; filaments not at all dilated apically. Capsule about 5 cm long; coma reddish brown.