Tillandsia beleana André[as Tillandsia beleana ]

Diagnose: —Folia radicalia basi dilatata amplexantia, 15 cent. longa, 6 cent. ad medium lata, lamina brevissima, lanceolato-acuta, coriacea, lepidotula. Scapus erectus, appianatus, canal iculatus, rîgidus, 50 cent. cum infiorescentia altus, passim albîdo-squamosus, bracteis laxe amplexicaulibus lepidotulis, inferioribus acuminatis, superioribus tantum acutis obtectus. Panicula imperfecte disticha, 10-12 cent. longa, e spicis circ. 10 densifioris, breviter pedunculatis, înferioribus basi furcatis spicamque alteram brevem 2-3-floram gerentibus composita. Bracte primari ovato-acut, 2 cent. 1ong, g1abriuscu1, dimidio spicarum qui1ong. Rachis complanatus, flexuosus, lepidotissimus. Bracte florales ovato acut, naviculares, calycem superantes, sulcat, precipue intus iepidot. Calyx trigonus, 5 miii. longus, sepalis carinatis, ovato-subacutis, lepidotis. Corolia parva, lutea.

Observations: —While close to T parvflora Ruiz and Pavon, this species differs from ît because of its imperfect!y two-sided panicle, which is very narrow, bushier and with denser spikes, as weii as because of the acute flora! bract, overtopping the calyx, etc.

Edited from : Andre 1889. (protologue) Bromeliaceae Andreanae. Description et Histoire des Bromeliacées, récoltées dans la Colombie, l\'Ecuador et la Venezuela .