Bromelia humilis Jacq.

  • Authority

    Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1979. Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (3): 1493-2142. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Bromeliaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Bromelia humilis Jacq.

  • Type

    TYPE. Jacquin in Vienna Hortus s n (no type found but species well typified by original description and later plate), Caracas, Venezuela.

  • Synonyms

    Bromelia karatas L., Bromelia lasiantha Willd., Puya lanata (Humb., Bonpl. & Kunth) Schult.f., Nidularium humile Schult.f., Karatas humilis (Jacq.) E.Morren, Madvigia humilis Liebm. & Antoine, Bromelia lasiantha Willd., Karatas lasiantha Harms

  • Description

    Description - Plants relatively small, less than 1 m in diameter, propagating by leafy stolons. Leaves densely rosulate, the outer recurving, the inner suberect and usually tinged with red or purple; sheaths triangular-ovate, tomentose-lepidote or glabrous; blades not at all constricted toward base, attenuate, pungent, 15-30 mm wide, appressed-white-lepidote becoming glabrous above and on the nerves beneath, laxly serrate with spines 3-4 mm long. Inflorescence sessile in the center of the rosette, corymbose, few-flowered, densely white-lanate except the petals. Floral bracts lanceolate to linear, equaling the sepals; flowers 5-7 cm long. Sepals free, oblong, obtuse, carinate toward apex, cucullate, 20-25 mm long, entire; petals linear, obtuse, 40 mm long, connate for 1/3 their length, purple at apex, white below, glabrous; stamens included; ovary cylindric.

  • Distribution

    In large colonies in scrub and deciduous forest, from near sea level to 100 m alt, northern Venezuela and adjacent islands.

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