plant rupicolous, andromonoecious, propagation by rhizome and axillary shoot, rhizomes 5–99 cm long, 1.7–2.8 cm in diameter; stems 18.2–45 cm long, erect or decumbent. leaves 30–49 in number; sheath 2.8–3.5 3 4.4–6 cm, very widely ovate or depressed ovate, brownish yellow and glabrate at the base, green or reddish pink and densely lepidote at the apex, prickles 0.5–2 mm long, 0.2–2 mm apart, generally antrorse; blade 0.8–37.5 3 2.4–4.5 cm, narrowly triangular, pink or brown when exposed to the sun, green or pink and green in shaded areas, abaxial surface densely lepidote, adaxial surface glabrate on leaves at the base of the rosette and densely lepidote on younger leaves, cinereous, margins undulate, prickles 0.5–2 mm long, 2–14 mm apart, antrorse, apices acuminate or caudate. inflorescence spikes of glomerules, with staminate and hermaphroditic flowers; spikes with 7 lateral glomerules, each glomerule with 7 flowers, apical portion of the inflorescence with ca 19 flowers; rachis 3 cm long; primary bracts 8–9 in number, 1.9–24.23 1.3–4.9 cm, foliaceous, similar to the leaves, narrowly triangular or deltate, completely green, completely pink, or green with the base vinaceous, abaxial and adaxial surfaces densely lepidote, cinereous, margins undulate, prickles 0.5–3 mm long, 1–9 mm apart, antrorse, apices acuminate or caudate. flowers floral bracts 21–27 3 5–6 mm, lanceolate-cymbiform, greenish white and glabrate at the base, pink and densely lepidote at the apex; flowers* 51–52 mm long, diurnal; sepals 19–22.2 mm long, connate 4.2–5 mm, white at the base and apex, pink in the middle, lobes 14.2–16.234–5 mm, lanceolate, mucronate; petals 21.5–25.53 4–5 mm, oblanceolate, rounded, connate for 1 mm, white, with 2 conspicuous callosities bearing inconspicuous capitate trichomes, callosities appearing 3 mm distant from the base. stamens 6, in two whorls of three, filaments 17–17.4 mm long, white, first whorl of three antepetalous (lower), second whorl of three antesepalous (higher), adnate 1–3 mm to the petal blades, anthers 3–5 mm long, subbasifixed, dehiscence longitudinal; styles 0.5–1 mm, atrophied, stigma 0.2–0.6 mm, atrophied. pistil: ovary trigonous, 11.3–16 3 5.2–8.5 mm, epigynous tube 5–8 mm long, ovules 10–14 per locule, placentation axial; hermaphroditic flowers floral bracts 31.2–34 3 9–13 mm, lanceolate-cymbiform, white and glabrate at the base, pink and densely lepidote at the apex; sepals* 21.5–22.2 mm long, connate 1.6–2.4 mm, white at the base and apex, pink in the center, lobes 20–20.5 3 5 mm, lanceolate, mucronate; petals* 25.5–26 mm 3 3.5–4.2 mm, oblanceolate, rounded, connate 1–1.2 mm, white, with 2 conspicuous callosities bearing inconspicuous capitate trichomes, callosities appearing 3 mm distant from the base; stamens* 6, in two whorls of three, filaments 18–18.2 mm long,white, first whorl of three antepetalous (lower), second whorl of three antesepalous (higher), adnate 1–1.2 mm to the petal blades, anthers 2.2–5 mm, subbasifixed, dehiscence longitudinal; styles 22.3–25.5 mm, stigma 2–2.2 mm, conduplicate-patent; ovary* 16–19 3 8–8.2 mm, trigonous, epigynous tube 5–8 mm, ovules 18–25 per locule, placentation axial. fruits 21–25 3 9–9.2 mm, berry, trigonous, white with reddish green apex; seeds 3.8–4 3 2–3 mm, asymmetrical, asymmetrical-reniform or asymmetrical-conical.Edited from : Ferreira & Louzada 2020. (protologue) A New Species of Cryptanthus (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioideae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest north of the São Francisco River, and its Contribution to the Taxonomy of the Genus .