leaves eight to ten, with a dilated oblong entire base two to three inches long, one inch and a half to two inches broad, contracting suddenly to a linear lamina , two feet long, three-quarters to one inch broad low down, narrowed gradually to the point, armed with copious brown spreading lanceolate horny prickles half a line long. inflorescence: peduncle a foot long, floccose, the red denticulate upper bract-leaves about two inches long; panicle rhomboid, half a foot long, with five to six simply spicate erecto-patent distichous branches two to three inches long, three-quarters of an inch broad, the lower ones subtended by lanceolate acute bracts one inch to two inches long; rachises one-sixth of an inch diameter, square, flexuose; flower-bract round-navicular, one-half to five-eighths of an inch long, not mucronate, clasping tightly the calyx. flowers: calyx with ovary five-eighths of an inch long; sepals lanceolate, one quarter of an inch long, with minute brown cusps; petals not seen.Edited from : Baker 1879b. (protologue) A Synopsis of the Genus Aechmea, R. & P. .