Puya fosteriana L.B.Sm.
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Authority
Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1974. Pitcairnioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (1): 1-658. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Bromeliaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
TYPE. Foster 2573 (holotype, US), cloud rock garden, La Rinconada, ca 75 km east of La Paz, 4400 m alt, La Paz, Bolivia, 20 Nov 1948.
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Description
Description - Flowering plant 1 m high. Leaves numerous, rosulate, 4-5 dm long; sheaths sub-orbicular, 9 cm in diameter, bearing a band of appressed cinereous scales beneath at apex, elsewhere glabrous; blades 5 cm broad at base, glabrous above, minutely pale-lepidote between the nerves beneath, laxly serrate with dark flat straight or hooked spines 9 mm long. Scape very short, concealed by the leaves; inflorescence very densely bipinnate, thick-cylindric, rounded at apex, densely brown-lanate; primary bracts membranaceous, pale green, the suborbicular base equaling the sepals, the long narrowly triangular apex reflexed, coarsely serrate; branches much abbreviated, few-flowered. Floral bracts broadly elliptic, long-caudate, exceeding the sepals, subentire, membranaceous, light green drying stramineous; pedicels 1 cm long, rather slender. Sepals linear-lanceolate, acute, 45 mm long, ecarinate, minutely and sparsely serrulate, submembranaceous; petals broadly elliptic, ultramarine, dark purple at base.
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Distribution
Known from the type collection only.
Bolivia South America| La Paz Bolivia South America|