leaves persistent, dimorphic, some reduced to triangular-ovate mostly entire sheaths, others functional with large triangular sheaths that are serrulate toward apex; petioles to 4 dm long, channeled, laxly spinose-serrate; blade narrowly lanceolate, attenuate at both ends, to 1 m or longer, 6 cm wide, chartaceous, pale-lepidote beneath. inflorescence: peduncle much shorter than the leaves, pale-puberulent; peduncle bracts suberect, exceeding the internodes, elliptic, acuminate, spinulose, red-purple when dry; fertile part simple, dense or at base lax, puberulent; floral bracts suberect at anthesis, lanceolate, the lowest about 5 cm long and serrulate at apex, the highest entire. flowers erect at anthesis, slender; pedicel to 13 mm long; sepals symmetric, linear, obtuse, carinate, 24 mm long; petals 43 mm long, red, bearing a bicuspidate scale at base. pistil: ovary 3/4 inferior, the lower part obconic, 7 mm long.Edited from : Smith & Downs 1974. Pitcairnioideae (Bromeliaceae) in Flora Neotropica.