Guzmania confusa var. foetida Rauh[as Guzmania confusa var. foetida Rauh]

Diagnose: —A typo differt foliis numerosis rosulales et floribus viridibus olescentibus.

Observations: —Guzmania confusa var. foetida is known only up to now from the type G. confusa L. B. Smith, that was found by Jose Quatrecasas (15 496) on the west side of the Cordillera Occidental (1250-1400 m high) near La Laguna on the Rio Sanguinini.
The variety differs from the type, var. confusa, by the numerous rosette leaves, the very strong scape, the short and thick stemmed spikes, as well as the green, not white, night opening, intensive garlic (Allium) smelling flowers.
The var. foetida belongs to the night flowering guzmanias. Its flowering begins (in cultivation) near 17 hours and are already closed in the following morning. At anthesis there is an intensive garlic smell (Allium ursinum), a smell typical of several night flowering guzmanias. Also in Peru similar species have been found that have yet to be described

Edited from : Rauh 1979b. (protologue) Bromelienstudien (Mitteilung 9). I. Neue und wenig bekannte Arten aus Peru und anderen Ländern .