Vriesea rubrobracteata Rauh (1979: 13)

Kessous, Igor M. & Costa, Andrea F., 2023, Novelties in “ incertae sedis ” Vriesea (Bromeliaceae: Tillandsioideae): Redescriptions, new combinations and nomenclatural revision, Phytotaxa 585 (2), pp. 71-101 : 89-90

3.6 Vriesea rubrobracteata Rauh (1979: 13) .

Type: — COLOMBIA, without locality, Rauh 37412 (holotype HElD!, isotype US!)

Description:—Plant epilithic, flowering ca. 35 cm high. Leaves forming an infundibuliform rosette; sheath obovate, ca. 5.5 × 3.5 cm, castaneous, densely lepidote on both surfaces; blade linear-oblong, triangular attenuate toward the apex, 20–28 × 2–3 cm, apex acuminate, green, sparsely lepidote on both surfaces, denser toward the base. Inflorescence compound, once-branched, distichous, ca. 30 cm long, erect; peduncle erect, ca. 18 cm long, 4.8 mm in diameter, glabrous; peduncle bracts erect, densely imbricate, 8.5–10 × 2–3 cm, sparsely to dense lepidote on both surfaces; main axis geniculate, ca. 12 cm long, 3.5–4 mm in diameter, glabrous; primary bracts ovate, 30–65 × 25–35 mm, red and yellow in sicco (peach-color), red with green apex in vivo, lepidote on both surfaces; spikes ca. 15 in number, 3.5–5.2 cm, densely 5–7 flowered, with 1–2 sterile bracts at the apex; rachis 12–30 mm long. Floral bracts oblong, acute, 20– 22 × 13–17 mm, carinate, equaling or slightly exceeding the sepals, bearing mucilage, glabrous on the abaxial surface and sparsely lepidote on the adaxial surface. Flowers ca. 24 mm long, 3.8–5 mm apart, distichous, suberect, corolla tubular; sepals elliptic, 14–15 × 6.8–7 mm, free, slightly carinate at the apex, symmetric, glabrous on the abaxial surface and sparsely lepidote on the adaxial surface; petals long-spatulate, 17–18 × 5.5 mm, white; petal appendages 6 × 1.9–2 mm, adnate for 3–4 mm to the petal base, entire, with obtuse free lobe; stamens included; filament ca. 10 mm long, strongly complanate, adnate for 6 mm to the petal base; anther ca. 6 × 1.2 mm, erect; ovary cylindrical, ca. 3.5 × 1.7 mm; style ca. 11.5 mm long; stigma simple-erect. Fruits unknown.

Distribution: —This species occurs at 1,500 –3,370 m above sea level, in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes: —In addition to the simple-erect stigma, this species has a compound inflorescence with dense spikes, typical for Mezobromelia ( Barfuss et al. 2016) , and occurs within the distribution of this genus in northern and northwestern South America. However, because of the lack of more diagnostic traits we opted not to re-combine this taxon.

Etymology: —The specific epithet “ rubrobracteata ” refers to the reddish color of the bracts.

Representative Specimens Examined: — COLOMBIA. Choco. San Jose del Palmar, between Cairo and San Jose del Palmar. On steep open slopes in cloud forest; elev. 2,000 m elev., fl., 7 February 1989, Kress & Echeverry 89-2605 (US). Antioquia, Sonsón, Páramo de Sonsón , 12 km de Sonsón a Nariño. 2,800 m elev., bosque nublado y bp-M en loma 5°42. N. 75°16’W. fl., 1 April 1987, Betancur et al. 410 (US). ECUADOR. Napo, Along road between Archidona and Baeza , 39.9 Km N of Archidona, 18.4 Km S of Cosanga, 40.8 Km S of jct. With Baeza-Papallacta-Lago Agrio Road. 00°40’55”S 77°48’05”W, 1486 m, 24 April 2003, Croat et al. 88023 ( MO); Sucumbios, Along road from Lumbaquí to La Bonita , 68.8 km N of main Baeza-Lago Agrio Road , 1 km S of Rosa Florida, 21.4 km S of La Bonita . 00°23’44”N 77°31’40”W, 1,200 m, 21 August 2004, Croat & Ferry 93740 ( MO). PERU. Loreto, Cordillera Escalera, Provincia Alto Amazonas, Distrito Balsapuerto ; Field Museum Inventario Rapido #26, Campanamento Intermedio— Alto Cachiyacu. 76°45’37.9”W, 5°51’22”S, 23 September 2013, Ríos et al. 3237 ( F).