plant stemless, flowering to 48 cm high. leaves to 25 cm long, often tinged with purple; sheath 9 cm long, 45–55 mm wide, pale brown; blade ligulate, 30–45 mm wide, acute to apiculate. inflorescence: peduncle erect, 3–4 mm in diameter; peduncle bracts 5–7 cm long, strict, imbricate; fertile part laxly once-branched or subtwice-branched, pyramidal, 24 cm long, 13 cm in diameter, glabrous; primary bracts 25–40 mm long, 9–10 mm wide; spikes ascending, oblong, 6–9 cm long, 3–4 cm wide, 8–14-flowered, the stipe naked, 14–30 mm long; rachis nearly straight; floral bracts spreading at anthesis, ovate, acute, 14–21 mm long, carinate, incurved, chartaceous, nerved. flowers sessile; sepals free, broadly elliptic, acute to acuminate, 15–18 mm long, 5–7 mm wide, ecarinate, coriaceous, even; petals to 45 mm long, blades suborbicular, 12 mm wide, violet. stamens included, exceeding the pistil. pistil: ovary 2–3 mm long; style 1–1.5 mm long. fruits cylindric, 3 cm long.Edited from : Smith & Downs 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). in Flora Neotropica.