MainDescriptionReferences

Aechmea canaliculata Leme & H.Luther  diagnose
plant a terrestrial. leaves ca l0 in number, thin in texture, forming a narrowly funnelform to ellipsoid rosette; sheath 11–12 x 3–3.5 cm, narrowly elliptic, very densely brown-lepidote both sides with trichomes slightly fused and forming a membrane; blade sublinear, 30–45 x 2 cm, distinctly narrowed and strongly canaliculate toward the base, pale green (w; w; thomas et al; 9296), densely white-lepidote mainly abaxially, finely nerved, entire, the apex acuminate-caudate. inflorescence: peduncle ca 25 cm long, ca 0.5 cm in diameter, erect, glabrous; peduncle bracts sublinear-lanceolate, apex acuminate-caudate, 40–60 x 10–15 mm, membranaceous, entire, glabrescent, equally distributed along the peduncle, erect, exceeding the internodes; fertile part simple, subcylindric-capitate, densely flowered, 50 x 35 mm, distinctly shorter than the leaves; rachis straight, glabrous; floral bracts ovate-lanceolate, acuminate-caudate, 8–20 x 4–6 mm, entire, membranaceous, nerved, inconspicuously lepidote, the basal ones nearly equaling the sepals, the upper ones shorter than the ovary. flowers ca 30 in number, ca 28 mm long, sessile, suberect, densely and polystichously arrranged, yellow (w; w; thomas et al; 9296, a reference probably related to the color of the ovary and sepals, but not including petals); sepals strongly asymmetrical, connate at base for 2–3 mm, 12 mm long including the 2–2.5 rnrn long apical spine, 5–7 mm wide, ecarinate, glabrous, the lateral wing membranaceous and with a round apex; petals known only from fragments, sublinear, the apex unknown, at least 20 x 3–4 mm, free, bearing two welldeveloped longitudinal callosities, appendages not detected in the fragments. stamens: filament the epipetalous ones highly adnate to the petals, the antisepalous free; anther unknown. pistil: stigma apparently ellipsoid, conduplicate-spiral; ovary terete, 8–11 x 6 mm, glabrous; placentation apical; ovules apiculate; epigynous tube crateriform, 3–4 mm long.

Edited from : Leme & Luther 1999. (protologue) Miscellaneous new species of Brazilian Bromeliaceae (II) .