Vriesea altomayoensis Luther & Norton (2009: 204)

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 : 87

3.1 Vriesea altomayoensis Luther & Norton (2009: 204) .

Type : — PERU. Amazonas: Alto Mayo region, 1,600 m elev., grown from field collected seed, in cult. 21 April 2009, Kent s.n. (holotype SEL098732 !)

Description: —see Luther & Norton (2009).

Distribution: —This species occurs in the Peruvian Amazon, ca. 1,600 m above sea level.

Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes: — Luther & Norton (2009) recognized problems in the generic delimitation of Vriesea and related genera, and placed this taxon in Vriesea sect. Xiphion , comparing it with Tillandsia subg. Allardtia (A. Dietr.) Baker , V. rubra (≡ Cipuropsis rubra ), and V. dubia (≡ Cipuropsis dubia ).

Barfuss et al. (2016) recognized V. altomayoensis as related to Cipuropsis . The set of mesomorphic leaves, compound inflorescence, white petals (rare in Vriesea ), stamens and pistil included in the corolla, and the geographical occurrence also indicate this similarity. However, owing to the lack of collections and putative diagnostic characters in the protologue, we opted not to propose a new combination. It is important to further investigating the possibility of placement in Cipuropsis . Known only from the type collection.

Etymology: —The specific epithet “ altomayoensis ” refers to the type location, Alto Mayo region, northern Peru.