Vriesea paratiensis E.Pereira

  • 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

    Vriesea paratiensis E.Pereira

  • Type

    Type. Parati, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, fl. cult. 7 Feb 1972, A. Seidel 602 (holotype HB 52187 n v).

  • Description

    Description - Plant caulescent, 80 cm high without the inflorescence. Leaves densely rosulate, 80 cm long; sheaths indistinct, densely and minutely brown-lepidote, castaneous beneath; blades sublinear, attenuate and acuminate at apex, 6 cm wide, densely nerved, green, densely and minutely pale-lepidote beneath, subglabrous above. Scape 70 cm long, 12-20 mm thick, the internodes 3-4 cm long; scape-bracts 3 or more times as long as the internodes, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, appressed, densely white-lepidote throughout. Inflorescence laxly pyramidal, bipinnate, 90 cm long, 15-17-branched; axis 12 mm thick; primary bracts erect, lanceolate, green, densely white-lepidote beneath, shorter than the sterile bases of the branches, the lower acuminate, 9 cm long, the upper acute, 2.5 cm long; branches spreading, 30-40 cm long, 2-3 mm thick, distichously ca 13-flowered; sterile basal bracts bicarinate. Floral bracts obovate, obtuse, 30 mm long, equaling or shorter than the sepals, carinate, green, glabrous outside, minutely lepidote inside; pedicels stout, 5-6 mm long; flowers spreading, 40 mm long. Sepals narrowly spatulate, subobtuse, 30 mm long, green, minutely lepidote within; petals linear, slightly dilated toward apex, 35 mm long, biligulate above base, the scales linear, 6 mm long, denticulate at base; stamens included; ovary 5 mm long; ovules long-caudate.

  • Discussion

    According to the author, Vriesea paratiensis is related to V. altodaserrae L. B. Smith and V. fluminensis above, but it differs from both in its densely white-lepidote leaves, wholly green inflorescence, and primary bracts that do not cover the sterile bases of the branches.

  • Distribution

    Known from the type collection only.

    Brazil South America| Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America|