Aechmea bromeliifolia (Rudge) Baker
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Authority
Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1979. Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (3): 1493-2142. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Bromeliaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type. Martin s n (holotype, BM; photo GH), French Guiana.
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Synonyms
Tillandsia bromeliaefolia Rudge, Bromelia melanantha Ker, Billbergia clavata Lindl., Bromelia tinctoria Mart., Tillandsia vestita Willd. ex Schult.f., Billbergia tinctoria (Mart.) Mart. ex Schult.f., Macrochordion tinctorium (Mart.) de Vriese, Aechmea melanacanta de Vriese, Macrochordium melananthum (Ker) Beer, Macrochordium bromeliaefolium (Rudge) Beer, Macrochordium pulchrum Beer, Macrochordium strictum Beer, Macrochordium macracanthum Regel, Aechmea conspicuiarmata Baker, Aechmea macroneottia Baker, Aechmea tinctoria (Mart.) Mez, Aechmea pulchra Mez, Hoiriri bromeliaefolia (Rudge) Kuntze, Nidularium macracanthum (Regel) T.Durand & B.D.Jacks., Aechmea eriostachya Ule, Aechmea ellipsoidea Rusby, Aechmea bromeliifolia var. renaudii Mez, Aechmea bromeliifolia var. rubra M.B.Foster
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Description
Description - Plant 7-9 dm high. Leaves 12-20 in a tubular rosette, 6-12 dm long, covered with a membrane of white coalesced scales; sheaths ovate to elliptic-oblong, 1-3 dm long, usually much broader than the blade and very distinct, entire or with a few teeth toward the apex; blades ligulate, very variable, from acuminate to naturally rounded-apiculate even on the same plant or rounded-emarginate by decay of the point, 4-9 cm wide, green or rarely red, concolorous, laxly serrate with antrorse spines to 1 cm long. Scape erect, stout, densely white-lanate; scape-bracts lance-ovate, acute, entire, thin, densely and finely pale-lepidote, the upper ones densely imbricate, the lower sometimes a little shorter than the internodes. Inflorescence simple, densely spicate, fertile throughout, ellipsoid or cylindric, to 15 cm long, 3-4 cm in diameter, densely white-lanate with only the petals exposed at first. Floral bracts broader than long, truncate, thick, coriaceous, 2-keeled, enfolding the ovary, much shorter than the sepals. Sepals suborbicular, 7 mm long, coriaceous, equally short-connate; petals erect, oblong, emarginate, 15 mm long, greenish yellow, soon turning black, bearing 2 fimbriate scales well above the base; ovary tomentose; placentae apical; ovules long-caudate.
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Common Names
Piña del monte, Gravatá, Gravatá de pau
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Distribution
Epiphytic, saxicolous, and terrestrial, from near sea level to 1585 m alt, Central America to Argentina.
Guatemala Central America| Petén Guatemala Central America| Belize Central America| Cayo Belize Central America| Honduras Central America| Morazán Honduras Central America| El Paraíso Honduras Central America| Colombia South America| Magdalena Colombia South America| Meta Colombia South America| Distrito Federal Venezuela South America| Zulia Venezuela South America| Apure Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Guyana South America| Demerara Guyana South America| Berbice Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America|