Pitcairnia densiflora Brongn. ex Lem.

  • Authority

    Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1974. Pitcairnioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (1): 1-658. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Bromeliaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Pitcairnia densiflora Brongn. ex Lem.

  • Type

    TYPE. Ghiesbreght in Paris Museum Hortus s n (n v, but isotype P, collected in 1854), Mexico.

  • Synonyms

    Pitcairnia aurantiaca Ten., Phlomostachys densiflora (Brongn. & Lem.) R.Beer, Lamproconus aurantiacus E.Morren ex Baker, Hepetis densiflora (Brongn. ex Lem.) Mez

  • Description

    Description - Plant stemless, 4-8 dm high. Leaves 8-10, basal, arched-recurving, entire throughout, dimorphic, some reduced and squamiform, triangular-ovate or elliptic, abruptly acute, brown or pale, others petiolate, 6-14 dm long, much exceeding the inflorescence; sheaths short, broadly triangular, covered outside with a membrane of white scales; petioles broad and indistinct, to 15 cm long; blades narrowly lanceolate, attenuate, 3-6 cm wide, narrowly channeled down the middle, glabrous above at maturity. Scape erect, stout; scape-bracts suberect, densely imbricate, subfoliaceous with triangular attenuate apices, thin, brown-lepidote. Inflorescence simple, densely spiciform, cylindric or subcorymbose, broadly obtuse, 8-20 cm long, 35 mm in diameter. Floral bracts erect, densely imbricate, 8-12-ranked, broadly ovate, acute, often apiculate, up to 5 cm long, exceeding the sepals, membranaceous, nerved, glabrous, reddish-yellow; flowers erect, subsessile. Sepals subtriangular, rounded-mucronate, 24 mm long; petals linear, acute, unequal, 58-67 mm long, slightly exceeding the stamens, yellow, bearing a large coarsely dentate scale well above the base; ovary more than three-fourths superior; ovules caudate.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial and saxicolous, open woods, 900 m alt, southern Mexico.

    Mexico North America| Veracruz Mexico North America| Guerrero Mexico North America|