Billbergia horrida Regel
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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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Description
Description - Leaves about 10 in a dense subellipsoid rosette, 2-6 dm long, coarsely wrinkled between the sheath and blade; sheaths large, broadly elliptic, dark above, covered with minute appressed scales; blades ligulate, broadly rounded or acute and then attenuate to a narrowly triangular rigid apex, 2-7 cm wide, with broad pale bands especially beneath, densely or laxly serrate with dark usually large (to 5 mm) spines. Scape erect, stout, glabrous, green; scape-bracts many and much longer than the internodes but so narrow as to expose the scape, the upper narrowly lanceolate, papyraceous, dark brown, slightly pale-lepidote toward apex. Inflorescence simple, erect, many-flowered, dense at least toward apex, subcylindric, glabrous; rhachis straight, stout. Lower floral bracts like the scape-bracts, the others very short, broadly triangular, acute, green; flowers sessile, subspreading. Sepals oblong, slightly asymmetric, rounded and apiculate, 13-15 mm long, green except for a large dark blue spot at apex, the extreme apex white-flocculose; petals never spiraled, linear, obtuse, 35-40 mm long, dark blue at apex and elsewhere pale green to nearly white, bearing 2 fimbriate scales at base on 2 long narrow calli; stamens included; ovary cylindric, slender, sulcate, 10-13 mm long, almost no epigynous tube.