Vriesea simplex (Vell.) Beer

  • 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 simplex (Vell.) Beer

  • Type

    Type. Vellozo s n, lost, if any specimen were ever made. Typification is on the basis of the description and plate, especially the latter. No locality given other than the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro inferred from the title of the work.

  • Synonyms

    Tillandsia simplex (Vell.) Beer, Vriesea mesiana Jacob-Makoy

  • Description

    Description - Plant 4-7 dm high with the inflorescence extended. Leaves 10-15 in an infun-dibuliform rosette, 3-4 dm long; sheaths broadly elliptic, 7-10 cm long, minutely lepidote; blades linear-oblanceolate, broadly acute or rounded and apiculate, 15-35 mm wide, flat, obscurely lepidote beneath, concolorous or reddish beneath. Scape decurved, very slender; scape-bracts erect, broadly elliptic, apiculate, chartaceous, red with yellow or green apices. Inflorescence simple, very lax, 2-3 dm long, 8-12-flowered, glabrous; axis very slender, flexuous to strongly geniculate. Floral bracts spreading, broadly ovate, 35-50 mm long and more than half as wide, completely enfolding the base of the flower and its margins overlapping, carinate toward the apex, chartaceous; flowers not secund; pedicels slender, 8-20 mm long. Sepals elliptic, obtuse, 3-4 cm long, usually much exceeding the bracts; petals 10-15 mm longer than the sepals, yellow with blue-green apices; stamens exserted.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic in forest, 600-1350 m alt, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, eastern Brazil.

    Colombia South America| Magdalena Colombia South America| Venezuela South America| Nueva Esparta Venezuela South America| Sucre Venezuela South America| Miranda Venezuela South America| Yaracuy Venezuela South America| Aragua Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America| Guanabara Brazil South America| São Paulo Brazil South America|