Vriesea bifida Leme & L.Kollmann[as Vriesea bifida ]

Diagnose: —This new species differs from Vriesea appariciana, its closest relative, by the cinereous leaf blades (vs. grayish-green), the longer inflorescence (ca. 25 cm vs. 12–20 cm), which is laxly flowered at anthesis (vs. densely flowered), the obtuse floral bracts (vs. acute) and the bifid and caudate petals appendages (vs. irregularly long-dentate).

Observations: —This new species is a member of a species complex of tillandsioids which is endemic to Brazil and has an exclusive rupicolous habit. It is closely related to V. appariciana Pereira & Reitz (Pereira 1974: 441), differing from it by the cinereous leaf blades (vs. grayish-green), the longer inflorescence (ca. 25 cm vs. 12–20 cm long), which is laxly flowered at anthesis (vs. densely flowered), obtuse floral bracts (vs. acute) and the basal petal appendages with an unusual bifid-caudate apex (vs. irregularly long-dentate).

Edited from : Leme et al. 2014. (protologue) Miscellaneous New Species of Brazilian Bromeliaceae– III .