Billbergia pyramidalis (Sims) Lindl.

  • 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

    Billbergia pyramidalis (Sims) Lindl.

  • Description

    Description - Leaves few to 13 in a tubular rosette, 4-10 dm long, often broadly white-banded beneath; sheaths large, subelliptic, entire, more or less purple-tinged, covered with a membrane of fused scales; blades ligulate, broadly acute or subrounded, apiculate, 4-6 cm wide, laxly and usually minutely serrulate. Scape erect, usually stout, densely white-farinose at first; scape-bracts erect or suberect, imbricate with the highest massed beneath the inflorescence, lance-elliptic, acute, rose. Inflorescence erect or suberect, simple, densely pyramidal or corymbose or short-cylindric, rarely over 15 cm long and usually much shorter, densely white-farinose. Floral bracts minute, ovate, acute; flowers short-pedicellate. Sepals short-connate, slightly asymmetric, oblong, obtuse or apiculate, 13-18 mm long, pale red; petals contorted after anthesis, ligulate, obtuse, to 52 mm long, bearing 2 fimbriate scales at base, slightly exceeding the stamens; ovary subterete, 11-15 mm long, epigynous tube short, placentae extending nearly the whole length of the cell.