Tillandsia paraensis Mez

  • Authority

    Mori, S. A., et al. 1997. Guide to the vascular plants of central French Guiana: Part 1. Pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and monocotyledons. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 76: 1-422.

  • Family

    Bromeliaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Tillandsia paraensis Mez

  • Description

    Species Description - Sterile plants 10-30 cm tall, flowering plants slightly taller, forming subbulbous or narrow utriculate rosette, cinereous. Leaves 10-35 cm long, the outer ones much reduced and sheath-like, very densely and cinereously lepidote; sheath ovate, 3-7 cm long, concolorous with blade abaxially; blades fleshy-coriaceous, very narrowly triangular, often finely carinate on both sides, 1.4-2 cm wide, attenuate, then abruptly and sharply pointed. Inflorescences 10-30 cm long, unbranched or digitately compound with two spikelets, the peduncle often curved, 8-19 cm long, the spikelets subdensely and distichously 4-15-flowered, complanate, linear-lanceolate, 6— 15 X 1-1.5 cm, the floral bracts ecarinate, elliptic, 2.3-3.9 cm long, densely lepidote or subglabrous abaxially, often yellow- green, tinged with red or entirely reddish. Flowers appressed or slightly divergent, (sub)sessile; sepals 1.5-2.3 cm long, free; petals suberect, pink-rose, attenuate to obtuse at apex.

    Distribution and Ecology - Fr (May); very rare.