Tillandsia meridionalis var. subsecundifolia W.Weber & Ehlers[as Tillandsia meridionalis var. subsecundifolia ]

Diagnose: —Planta acaulis vel breviter caulescens, florens usque ad 25 cm alta. Folia numerosa, rigida, atro-griseoviridia, dense subappresso-lepidota, rosulam erectam subsecundam formantia. Vaginae distincte limitatae, ovales, usque ad 30 mm longae, 25 mm latae, nervatae. Laminae anguste triangulatae, 10-13 cm longae, supra vaginam 15-20mm latae, valde canaliculatae, longe subulato-acuminatae. Scapus erectus vel leniter curvatus, usque ad 14 cm longus, teres, 2,5 mm diametiens, glaber, viridus. Bracteae scapales internodiis aequilongis (20-30 nm), inferiors subulate subfoliatae, superiores tantum subulate caudatae, breviora, quam inflorescentia, rufescentiae, dense lepidotae. Inflorescentia simplex, polysticha plus-minusve 5-flora, sublaxa, usque ad 5 cm longa. Flores sessiles, usque ad 26 mm longi. Bracteae florales ovate-lanceolatae, usque ad 25 mm longae, submembranaceae, rosaceae, leves, ecarinatae, basales subulatae, superiores acute apiculatae, etiam in apice lepidotae, multo longiora quam sepala. Sepala libera, lanceolata, usque ad 17 mm longa, pallide rufescentia, apices albida et disperse lepidota, posteriora indistincte obtuse-carinata cum nervus carnosus, Petala anguste lingulata, 27 mm longa, lamina longe-ovata, arcuato-recurvata, alba, tantum ad apices perindistincte pallide violacea suffusa, Stamina cum stylo in flore inclusa, filamenta 15 mm longa, alba, applanata, in medium transversale plicata. Antherae 2 mm longae, flavae, basifixae. Ovarium globuliformum, 2 mm diametiens, viridium. Stylus 15 mm longus, teres, albus, stigmata minutissima, contorta.

Observations: —The main differences from the typical variety of T recurvifolia are the sometimes more lax inflorescence and the orange-red floral bracts (not pink).;

Translated by Butcher from: Weber 1984b. (protologue) Die Bromeliaceae im Herbarium D.F.L. von Schlechtendals .