Cryptanthus robertokautskyi Leme[as Cryptanthus robertokautskyi Leme]

Diagnose: —A C. scaposo E. Pereira, cui affinis, foliorum vaginis barhare atrobrunnea-lepidotis, limbis latioribus et subtus lepidibus zonatis margine undulata, fasciculis infimis 10-15 floribus, antheris ca.6mm longis differt.

Observations: —This new ornamental species was collected by Roberto Kautsky, an Honorary Trustee of The Cryptanthus Society, in the county where he lives, at the locality of Marechal Floriano, about 700-800 meters of altitude. For many years C. roberto-kautskyi has been "cultivated" in natural conditions on the wet and shady ground of the private forested reserve owned by Kautsky, where it already propagates spontaneously forming a discontinuous sparse population.

Closely related to C. scaposus E. Pereira, this new species differs from it mainly by the very coarsely dark brown lepidote leaf sheaths, the leaf blades broader and strongly cross-banded beneath by the alternation of white and dark brown coarse scales, the undulate margins, the basal fascicles with 10-15 flowers, as well as by the longer anthers.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This plant was featured as "Something Different" in the Crypt Soc Journal Vol 1 No 3, 1986. It is extinct in the United States.

Edited from : J. Crypt. Soc.. (protologue) .