Orthophytum albopictum Philcox[as Orthophytum albopictum ]

Observations: —Orthophytum albopictum is easily recognised by having, at the time of flowering, a lanuginous halo in the centre of the rosette, formed by a denseness of foliar scales. Despite this halo around the inflorescence being a good character to distinguish vegetatively this species, in herbarium collections nor always the presence of the same is not always maintained, making it difficult, at first examination, the identification of this taxon, whose vegetative appearance confuses with that of O. burle-marxii.
In general, Orthophytum burle-marxii are large plants, but the impact of the size of the representatives is lessened with quite large forms of O. albopictum causing overlaps in the sizes of the plants of these two species. However, the colours of floral bracts and sepals allow the easy recognition of these two taxa, these being green structures in O. albopictum, and red in O. burle-marxii.
Orthophytum albopictum occurs exclusively in campos rupestres in the municipalities of Mucugê and Andarai, in the State of Bahia, inhabiting xeric environments on rocks, on the verge of river rapids. When exposed to higher luminous intensity, the leaves become red on the adaxial face. Observed in the Unidades de Conservation in the Chapada Diamantina National Park and the Municipal Park, Evergreen Project in Mucugê, Bahia.

Translated by Butcher from: Louzada 2008. Taxonomia e citogenética das espécies de inflorescência séssil do gênero Beer (Bromeliaceae) .