plant growing in clumps, with a distinct, to 15 (–20) cm long, often branched stem, mostly with roots. leaves polystichous, densely imbricate, adjacent to the stem ( typical form) or spreading ( “polytrichoides”), awl-like, fine acuminate, to 15 mm long; sheath glabrous, membranous, broad ovate, with 4–5 nerves and wide nerve-less edges; blade very narrow, acuminate, dense scales. inflorescence: peduncle terminal, by way of a pseudoaxillary terminal shoot, straight, 0–4 cm long peduncle bracts almost as long as the internodes and the largest part enclosing the peduncle, lanceolate, tipped, 5–8 mm long, scaled inflorescence almost simple, very seldom with a small side spike, 1–5 (–7)- flowered, distichous; rachis glabrous, slender, ± straight flower bracts ovate to broad ovate, blunt tipped, scaled, (7-) 9–10 (–11)- nerved, (4-) 6 (–7) mm long, (3-) 4.5 (–5.3) mm wide, sepals ovate lanceolate, wide tipped, the upper 1/3 – ˝ ± lax scaled, 5–7-nerved, (5.4-) 6 (–7) mm long, (1.8-) 2.2 (–2.5) mm wide, equally almost free, petals tongue shaped, the tip almost not spreading out, 5–6-nerved, (6-) 8 (–9) mm long, (1.2-) 1.5 mm wide, with raphides, yellow to orange yellow anthers basifixed, 1–1.4 mm long, 0.15–0.25 mm Ř, filaments whitish, slender, 1-nerved, (2-) 2.6 ( –3) mm long, 0.15–0.2 mm wide, ovary inverted conical- cylindric, sometimes with a swelling in the upper part, abruptly twisted with the style. pistil: style 2/3 to almost as long as the ovary, almost 1/3 as wide as the ovary;stigma flat, capitate, gynoeceum (2-) 2.6 (–3) mm long. flowers scent not strong.Edited from : Till 1984. Sippendifferenzierung innerhalb Tillandsia subgenus Diaphoranthema in Sudamerika mit Besonderer berucksichtigung des Anden-Ostrandes und der Angrenzenden Gebiete .