Pitcairnia spicata (Lam.) Mez

  • 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 spicata (Lam.) Mez

  • Type

    TYPE. Plumier s n (holotype, P), French West Indies.

  • Synonyms

    Bromelia foliis Plum., Bromelia spicata Lam., Pitcairnia albucifolia Schrad., Pitcairnia ringens Link, Klotzsch & Otto, Pitcairnia affinis K.Koch, Pitcairnia pruinosa Mez, Pourretia magnispatha Colla, Pitcairnia angustifolia Sol. ex Aiton, Hepetis albucifolia (Schrad.) Mez, Hepetis spicata (Lam.) Mez

  • Description

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    Description - Plant flowering over 1 m high. Leaves dimorphic with those of the sterile offshoots reduced to dark serrate spines 15 cm long, the larger ones to 14 dm long; sheaths narrowly triangular-ovate, covered beneath with brown appressed scales except for the extreme base, serrate; blades linear, attenuate, slightly contracted toward base, 16-30 mm wide, showing a median channel when dry, covered beneath with white scales. Scape straight, ca 8 mm in diameter, white-lepidote, then glabrescent; scape-bracts from subfoliaceous and imbricate to triangular-ovate, acuminate, and about equaling the internodes. Inflorescence simple, densely racemose, 15-28 cm long, pale-lepidote when young. Floral bracts narrowly lance-triangular, the lowest equaling or exceeding the midpoint of the sepals, 5-6 mm wide; flowers divergent to spreading after anthesis; pedicels slender, 6-11 mm long. Sepals lanceolate, rounded and apiculate, 16-23 mm long, ecarinate; petals to 48 mm long, red, bearing an ovate scale at base; ovary ½ inferior.

  • Discussion

    Note: At lower elevations, P. spicata forms a bewildering hybrid swarm with P. angustifolia.

  • Distribution

    High slopes of Mount Pelée, Martinique.

    Martinique South America|