Aechmea sphaerocephala C.F.Baker

  • Authority

    Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1979. Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (3): 1493-2142. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Bromeliaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Aechmea sphaerocephala C.F.Baker

  • Type

    Type. Gaudichaud 369 in part (holotype, P; photo GH), Rio de Janeiro, (Guanabara), Brazil, 1836.

  • Synonyms

    Chevalieria sphaerocephala Gaudich., Chevaliera gigantea Maury, Aechmea gigantea Baker

  • Description

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    Description - Plant propagating by short ascending rhizomes. Leaves many in a dense narrowly funnelform rosette, 1-3 m long, much exceeding the inflorescence; sheaths broadly elliptic, to 4 dm long and 2 dm wide, serrate toward apex, dark castaneous, covered with minute appressed brown scales; blades ligulate, acute with a stout pungent brown terminal spine, to 12 cm wide, laxly serrate with antrorse curved dark brown spines 10 mm long, thick, coriaceous, green, brown-spotted toward base, glabrous above, minutely and obscurely pale-lepidote beneath. Scape erect, stout, 5 dm long; scape-bracts erect, densely imbricate and covering the scape, large, subfoliaceous but entire or slightly serrulate toward apex, rose or red. Inflorescence simple, globose at first and then cylindric as it grows and flowers for 18 months without interruption, to more than 5 dm long, 10-13 cm in diameter, very dense, glabrous, bearing a small inconspicuous coma at apex. Floral bracts navicular, enfolding 3/4 of the flower, about equaling the sepals, 35-45 mm long, ending in a long pungent spine, bearing a central and 2 lateral keels, thick, coriaceous, vernicose and dark castaneous when dry. Sepals free, strongly asymmetric, ending in a short stout spine, 22 mm long, rigid, coriaceous, greenish white in life; petals ligulate, acute, slightly exceeding the sepals, blue, bearing 2 dentate scales near base; stamens included, second series highly adnate to the petals; ovary obconic, 10-15 mm long, epigynous tube large; placentae apical.

  • Distribution

    Espírito Santo, (Guanabara), Brazil.

    Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America| Guanabara Brazil South America|