leaves 8–10 in a utricular rosette, connivent only in the lower 3–4 in., ensiform, above a foot long, an inch broad, thin in texture, plain green on the face, whitish on the back without any bands, narrowed gradually to the point, the marginal prickles minute, deltoid. inflorescence: peduncle much shorter than the leaves, with several bright red ascending lanceolate bract-leaves; fertile part a lax suberect spike, 3–4 in; long with a red flexuose rachis; several lower flowers with large ascending bright red bracts. pistil: ovary oblong-cylindrical, bright red, shallowly sulcate. flowers: sepals longer than the ovary, red tipped with violet; petals an inch longer than the calyx, green, tipped with violet-blue; style reaching to the tip of the petals. stamens a little shorter; anther linear-oblong, yellow.Edited from : Baker 1889. (protologue) Handbook of the Bromeliaceae .