Orthophytum humile Smith (1968: 75)

Louzada, Rafael Batista & Wanderley, Maria Das Graças Lapa, 2010, Revision of Orthophytum (Bromeliaceae): the species with sessile inflorescences, Phytotaxa 13, pp. 1-26 : 11-15

Orthophytum humile Smith (1968: 75) , figs. 5A–I, 7E.

Type:— BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Grão Mogol , 18 August 1960, B. Maguire, G.M. Magalhães & C.K. Maguire 49288 (holotype US!, isotype NY!) .

Plants rupicolous, stoloniferous, stems short, 0.8–2 × 1–2 cm. Leaves slightly arching. Leaf sheaths green, deltoid, 0.4–1.2 × 0.4–1 cm, glabrous, margins serrate, prickles 0.1–0.3 mm long. Leaf blades subcoriaceous, plane, red, wine red to pink, and white and green toward the base, wine red, middle pink and green at the base, linear–triangular, 2.5–21.5 × 0.2–0.5 cm, attenuate, abaxial surface densely lepidote, adaxial surface lepidote, margins serrate, prickles antrorse 0.7–1.4 mm long, apices mucronate. Inflorescences sessile, simple, manyflowered. Vestigial floral bract absent. Floral bracts subcoriaceous, green, asymmetrical, ecarinate, triangular, 1.3–2.1 × 0.4–1 cm, lepidote, sometimes with glandular trichomes too, margins serrate, mucronulate. Sepals green, asymmetrical, carinate, narrowly triangular, ca 1.5 × 0.3 cm, with glandular trichomes, margins entire, mucronulate. Petals white, linear-spatulate, ca 1.8 × 0.6 cm, with simple trichomes, obtuse. Petal appendages sacciform, deeply fimbriate, ca 4 mm from base. Callosities conspicuous. Stamens with the antepetalous filaments ca 0.4 mm long and adnate to the petals, the antesepalous ones free, ca 11 mm long. Anthers yellow, ca 3.5 mm long, apices not apiculate. Ovaries trigonous, styles ca 11 mm long. Epigenous tubes present, ca 1 mm long. Ovules numerous. Fruits and seeds not seen.

Distribution and habitat: — Orthophytum humile is known from Cristália and Grão Mogol counties in the state of Minas Gerais. It grows on humid or dry rocks near streams at 850–1000 m elevation, often associated with termite mounts.

IUCN conservation status: —EN B1ab (iii, iv). Orthophytum humile occurs in an estimated area less than 5000 km 2. A decline in the number of populations was observed, as well as a decrease in the quality of the habitat.

Comments: — Orthophytum humile is similar to Orthophytum mucugense Wanderley & Conceição (2006: 4) , differing mainly by the leaf blades that are densely lepidote (vs. sparsely lepidote), and prickles that are 0.7–1.4 cm long (vs. 0.3–0.4 mm long). Orthophytum humile is also similar to O. ophiuroides Louzada & Wanderley (2008: 406) , but can be separated mainly by its simple inflorescence (vs. branched inflorescence) and green coloured sepals and bracts (vs. red).

Additional specimens examined: — BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Cristália, Serra do Batieiro , 14 September 1991 (fl), Carvalho 575 ( SP) ; Grão Mogol , 25 February 1986 (fl), Semir et al. CFCR 9659 ( RB, SPF) ; Bacia do Ribeirão da Morte , 4 November 1987 (fl), Cordeiro et al. CFCR 11484 ( SPF) ; Córrego das Mortes , 13 October 2006 (fl), Louzada & Moreira 41 ( SP) .