Pitcairnia kniphofioides L.B.Sm.

  • 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 kniphofioides L.B.Sm.

  • Type

    TYPE. Lehmann 3310 (holotype, G; photo, GH), Arrayanal, Río Ritaralda, Cauca, Colombia, 1883.

  • Description

    Description - Plant caulescent, 3-3.6 m long, the flowering shoot 75-90 cm high. Leaves dimorphic, some with triangular-ovate dark castaneous brown-lepidote sheaths and subulate coarsely spinose-serrate brown blades, others with more or less distinct spinose-serrate petioles and broadly lanceolate, entire glabrous blades 3-7 dm long and 4-8 cm wide. Scape erect, brown-floccose; scape-bracts erect, the lower foliaceous and densely imbricate, the upper lance-ovate, acute, shorter than the internodes, red, spinose-serrate. Inflorescence simple or few-branched, glabrous; primary bracts small; branches ascending, 10-14 cm long, densely many-flowered. Floral bracts ovate, acute, 2 cm or longer, membranaceous, imbricate and concealing the flowers before anthesis, deciduous after; pedicels to 3 mm long; flowers reflexed at anthesis. Sepals lanceolate, broadly acute, 12-15 mm long, ecarinate; petals slightly exceeding the sepals, naked, bluish white; ovary two-thirds superior, ovules caudate.

  • Distribution

    Terrestrial and epiphytic, damp forest, 2000-2200 m alt, southeastern Colombia.

    Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America|