Vriesea patzeltii Rauh[as Vriesea patzeltii (RAUH) J.R. GRANT]

Diagnose: —Planta acaulis florens usque ad 80 cm alta; folia numerosa rosulam infundibuliformen 25 cm altam plano-expansam usque ad 60 cm diametientem formantia; vaginae late ovales indistinctae usque ad 23 cm longae, 10 cm latae, supra pallide alutaceae, subtus metallice argenteo-lepidotae; laminae ligulatae usque ad 30 cm longae, 7 cmlatae in apicem brevissimum obscurum contractae, utrimque laete virides, subglabrae; folia rosulae centrum versus deminuescentia; scapus inflorescentiae usque ad 25 cm longus 1 cm diametiens erectus, viridis, phyllis viridibus dense circumdatus, phylla scapi longiora quam internoda vagina longa et lamina brevi apiculata; inflorescentia laxe bipinnata, usque ad 30 cm longa, 10 cm lata, rhachis viridis modice angulata; internodia 1-1,5 cm longa; bracteae primariae late cymbiformens spicis breviores, medianae usque ad 3 cm longae acuminatae, expansae basi usque ad 3 cm latae, membranaceae, nitenti-virides, glabrae laeves; spicae 6-8 cm longae, plus minusve 5 florae, apice sursum curvatae, pedunculo applanato 1,5cm longo nitenti-viridi laevi; rhachis tenuis, modice geniculata, teres visibilis, internodia circiter l cm longa; bracteae florales sepalis breviores, 18-20 mm longae apiculatae, viridis glabrae, laeves; flores brevissime (0,5 cm) pedicellati, aperti 1 cm diametientes, usque ad 3 cm longi sub anthesi fere rectangulariter divaricati, post anthesin paulum deorsum curvati, ante anthesin erecti axi accumbentes; sepala anguste triangula, acuminata usque ad 25 mm longa, solida, glabra apicem versus carinata; petala alba apice leniter recurvato obtuso, 2,5 cm longa, 0,5 cm lata, basi ligulis duabus separatis, 6 mm longis; filamenta et stylus in flore profundo-inclusa; filamenta alba, curvata.

Observations: —In her book, The Bromeliaceae of Ecuador, (1972), A. Gilmartin mentions only 2 Vrieseas for Ecuador with lingulate leaves and lax inflorescences, V. sanguinolenta COGN. & MARCH and V. rubra (RUIZ & PAVON) BEER ( = Tillandsia rubra RUIZ & PAVON). The former teacher in Quito, Erwin PATZELT, well-known in Ecuador as a good friend of all Indian tribes of the rain-forest, made in early summer 1980 an excursion into the valley of the Rio Pinda, eastwards of the Vulcan Pichincha. He was fascinated of the richness of bromeliads there; but he collected only a young, not developed inflorescence probably of Guzmania fuerstenbergiana (Kirch. & Wittm.) and one living plant with an inflorescence-bud, which he assumed was V. fuerstenbergiana. In the meantime the inflorescence-bud started to develop and was in full flower in October this year. As we cannot determine the plant, we consider it as a new species. Following is the English description:

Edited from : Trop. Subtrop. Pflanzenw.. Bromelienstudien. I.Neue und wenig bekannte Arten aus Peru und anderen Ländern .