plant stemless, flowering to 2 m high. leaves 7 dm long, densely purple-banded throughout; sheath inconspicuous; blade ligulate, acute, 6–8 cm wide, flat, arching-recurved, obscurely lepidote, appearing glabrous. inflorescence: peduncle erect, glabrous; peduncle bracts densely imbricate, broadly elliptic, apiculate, spotted; infiorescence laxly once-branched, about 6-branched; primary bracts like the upper peduncle-bracts, about equaling the sterile bracteate bases of the branches; spikes linear, strongly complanate, 25–50 cm long, 3–4 cm wide; floral bracts imbricate but exposing the rachis, elliptic, acute, 55–60 mm long, ecarinate, rose, subchartaceous and nerved when dry. flowers: sepals narrowly elliptic, obtuse, 26 mm long, nerved; petals bright red. fruits sub cylindric, 25 mm long.Edited from : Smith & Downs 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). in Flora Neotropica.