plant stemless, flowering 5 dm high. leaves densely rosulate, 6 dm long; sheath broad, concolorous with the blades; blade linear-triangular, attenuate, 20 mm wide, chartaceous, subglabrous. inflorescence: peduncle distinct, erect; peduncle bracts densely imbricate, the lower with short recurving blades, the upper ovate-elliptic, abruptly acute, subpungent, coriaceous; fertile part simple, to 18-flowered, strongly complanate, 20 cm long, 11 cm wide; floral bracts subspreading at anthesis, scarcely imbricate or concealing the rachis, 55 mm long, exceeding the sepals, carinate, hardly incurved at apex, coriaceous, even, glabrous. flowers suberect; sepals free, elliptic, acuminate, to 45 mm long, carinate, the margin membranaceous; petals about 8 cm long when erect, bright blue, blades large and spreading. stamens unknown.Edited from : Smith & Downs 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). in Flora Neotropica.