Tillandsia maxima Lillo & Hauman

  • Authority

    Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (2): 663-1492. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Bromeliaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Tillandsia maxima Lillo & Hauman

  • Type

    Type. Lorentz Hieronymus 287 (holotype LIL, isotypes B, CORD, US), San Andres, near Rio Seco, Oran, Salta, Argentina, Sep 1873.

  • Synonyms

    Tillandsia rubra Ruiz & Pav., Tillandsia australis Mez, Tillandsia maxima var. densior L.B.Sm.

  • Description

    Description - Plant flowering 8-24 dm high with the inflorescence extended. Leaves many in a spreading rosette, to 1 m long; sheaths ample, to 3 dm long, covered on both sides with fine appressed brown scales; blades ligulate, subrounded and apiculate, 6-12 cm wide, thin-coriaceous, subglabrous. Scape very stout, erect and then decurved; scape-bracts densely imbricate, foliaceous. Inflorescence amply tripinnate, very variable, glabrous; primary bracts like the scape-bracts, large and conspicuous; branches suberect, to 40 cm long, the basal third sterile, then bearing 1-7 spikes; secondary bracts much reduced, ovate, acute; spikes lanceolate to linear, 11-30 cm long, sublaxly to subdensely 8- 22-flowered, strongly complanate. Floral bracts suberect but relatively narrow and more or less exposing the rhachis, broadly elliptic, subobtuse, 22-10 mm long, equaling or slightly exceeding the sepals, even (! Castellanos) and apparently fleshy, becoming coarsely rugose when dry, ecarinate, not incurved; flowers suberect. Sepals free, subobtuse, 22-40 mm long, submembranous, strongly nerved, the posterior carinate; petals violet; stamens included.

  • Common Names

    Horka

  • Distribution

    Saxicolous and epiphytic, 700-3900 m alt, southern Bolivia and adjacent Argentina.

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