Utley 1981b (Article) Vriesea

Two new montane vrieseas (Bromeliaceae) from Costa Rica

Author(s):—J.F. Utley

Publication:—Brittonia 33(4): 581-586. (1981)

Abstract:—Vriesea with approximately 60 indigenous species is the largest bromeliad genus in Costa Rica. Many of these species were transferred to Vriesea from Theco­phyllum when Smith and Pittendrigh ( 1953) submerged the latter genus in Guz­mania. These species and several subsequently described form a homogeneous group within section Xiphion of Vriesea, distinguished from the remainder of the section by the same characters which distinguished Thecophyllum: enlarged pri­mary bracts and reduced lateral inflorescence branches (Utley, 1978). These the­cophylloid vrieseas constitute more than 50% of the genus in Costa Rica.
The great majority of the Central American vrieseas have erect or ascending inflorescences, a feature that previous workers have used in construction of keys and delimitation of taxa (Mez, 1935; Smith & Downs, 1977).
Because collectors often arrange bromeliad specimens to fit the constraints imposed by a plant press and omit adequate field notes for many collections, the evaluation of inflorescence orientation is frequently guesswork on the part of the researcher. As a result, at least two thecophylloid vrieseas, V. ororiensis (Mez) L. B. Smith & Pittendrigh and V. balanophora (Mez) L. B. Smith & Pittendrigh have been described as having pendent inflorescences or decurved scapes when in fact the scapes and inflorescences are erect. The foregoing situation was further complicated by the collection, during field work for a revision of the Costa Rican thecophylloid vrie­seas, of four thecophylloid taxa, two of which are herein proposed as new species, with naturally pendent inflorescences (Utley, 1978). Three of these species are apparently endemic to the northern portion of the Cordillera de Talamanca, while the fourth, V. leucophylla L. B. Smith, extends from the Cordillera Central of Costa Rica to the end of the Talamanca range in northwestern Panama. These distinctive montane species all have scentless, diurnal, green flowers subtended by conspicuously colored primary bracts, a syndrome strongly suggestive of hum­mingbird pollination; in fact hummingbirds have been repeatedly observed visiting or in the vicinity of three of them.
The keys and descriptions which follow are based largely on dried herbarium material. However, since floral parts often shrink or become irreparably distorted by pressing and drying, information involving floral bracts, perianth, androecium and gynoecium has been obtained from fresh material or flowers preserved in 70% ethanol.

Published names (2):

Vriesea uxoris*
Vriesea vietoris*
* synonyms or not accepted names are marked