Vriesea psittacina (Hook.) Lindl.

  • 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 psittacina (Hook.) Lindl.

  • Description

    Description - Plant flowering 4-5 dm high. Leaves about 15 in a broadly funnelform rosette, 3-5 dm long; sheaths elliptic, 7-9 cm long, green or pale brown, covered with small appressed pale scales; blades ligulate, slightly narrowed toward base, broadly acute and apiculate, 22-28 mm wide, wholly green, soon glabrous. Scape erect, slender; scape-bracts erect, imbricate, elliptic, apiculate, the lower green, the upper yellow and green. Inflorescence simple, lax, 17-23 cm long, almost wholly glabrous; rhachis slender, flexuous. Floral bracts ovate-elliptic, broadly acute, slightly shorter than the sepals and enfolding them, straight toward apex, usually less than twice as long as the internodes, subcoriaceous; flowers spreading at anthesis; pedicels to 5 mm long, stout. Sepals elliptic, obtuse, 35-40 mm long, ecarinate, nerved; petals linear, obtuse, to 6 cm long, yellow or with green apices, bearing 2 large rounded scales at base; stamens exserted. Capsule about equaling the sepals.

  • Discussion

    Foster 926 from Vargem Alta, Espírito Santo, has a small lateral branch. It could be a hybrid or an abnormal plant.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic in forest, from near sea level to 850 m alt, eastern Brazil from southern Bahia to Rio de Janeiro.

    Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| Guanabara Brazil South America|