Vriesea longicaulis (Baker) Mez

  • 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 longicaulis (Baker) Mez

  • Type

    Type. Glaziou 8988 (holotype K, GH photo), Morro do Retiro, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

  • Synonyms

    Vriesea jonghei (K.Koch) E.Morren, Tillandsia longicaulis Baker, Vriesea longicaulis var. secunda Mez

  • Description

    Description - Plant flowering 6-12 dm high. Leaves 4-9 dm long; sheaths large, elliptic, minutely brown-appressed-lepidote, deep castaneous toward base; blade ligulate, broadly rounded and apiculate, flat, 30-45 mm wide, concolorous, green, glabrous above, very obscurely punctulate-lepidote beneath. Scape erect, elongate, rather stout, glabrous; scape-bracts erect, densely imbricate, the lower ones foliaceous, the upper ones ovate and acute. Inflorescence simple or rarely with a small lateral branch and short primary bract similar to the scape-bracts, densely many-flowered, 14-42 cm long; rhachis stout, angled, geniculate, glabrous. Floral bracts suberect and densely imbricate, then often more or less secund with the flowers, broadly ovate, acute, 3-8 cm long, usually much exceeding the sepals, convex, obtusely and faintly carinate, glabrous, pale brown and slightly rugulose near their apices, elsewhere deep castaneous and even; pedicels stout, obconic, 8 mm long; flowers often secund at anthesis, subspreading. Sepals lance-ovate, acute, 20-35 mm long, obtusely carinate toward base, coriaceous, even, glabrous; petals elliptic, about one and a half times as long as the sepals, all yellow or with a brown margin, bearing 2 large subtriangular acuminate scales at base; stamens included.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic in rainforest, 750-1900 m alt, Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais to Santa Catarina in eastern Brazil.

    Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Minas Gerais Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America| Santa Catarina Brazil South America|