Billbergia debilis E.Pereira[as Billbergia debilis ]

Diagnose: —Epiphytica, stolonifera, c. 30-40 cm alta. Folia 5, ligulata, rosulata, utri-culum tubulosum formante; vagina oblonga, quam limbo aequilonga vel fere, intus purpureo-marmorata, extus alba et purpureo maculata; limbo subli-neari, 8-20 cm longo, 3-6 cm lato, apicem versus angustato et in mucronem subpungentem exeunte, margines sparse et minute serrulatis, dorso late albo-vittato, Scapus erectus, 30 cm longus, 4 mm crassus, rubrus, dense albofloccosus, internodiis inferioribus 5 cm longis, superioribus 3 cm longis lan-tum; bracteis scapalibus inferioribus oblongo-lanceolatis, viridi-roseis, 9-10 cm longis, 25 mm maxima latitudine, superioribus c. 6 infra inflorescentiam congestis, paulo minoribus, oblongo-lanceolatis, acuminatis, ruberrimis, extus albo-lepidotis. Inflorescentia simplex usque 7-flora, 10 cm longa, rache rubra dense albo-floccosa. Flores cum pedicello 55 cm longae; pedicello ipso 10 mm longo vel ultra, rubro et albo floccoso, paulo geniculato; sepalis liberis, linearis, 17 mm longis, 5 mm latis, apice obtusis et emarginatis, extus albo flocco-sis, dimidio inferiore rubris, superiore viridibus; petalis lineari-spathulatis, basi ligulis binis, denticulatis auctis, 35 mm longis, limbo atro-violaceo cae-terum pallide viridibus, sub anthesin binis reflexis demum sinestrorsis, una stamina et stilum tectensi; staminibus quam petalis brevioribus, filamenti.s cylindraceis, alatis, ad basi 10 mm cum petala connatis; antheris linearibus, 4 mm longis, apice acutis, base obtusis, infra medium dorsifixis; pollen gra-nuli ellipsoidei et birimosi. Stilus 35 mm longus, cylindraceus, viridis cum stigme violacea. Ovarium subcylindraceum, 12 mm longum, rubrum et albo-floccosum, tubo epigineo nullo; placentis paulo supra medium affixis; ovuli numerosi, obtusi.

Observations: —Related to B. fosteriana L.B.Sm. this new species differs specially in the scape bracts, the liguli at the petals, in the sepals and other details.

Edited from : Pereira 1972b. (protologue) Species novae in Brasilia Bromeliacearum - IV .