Pitcairnia billbergioides by Werner Rauh in J. Brom. Soc. 39(5): 195-6. 1989
Pitcairnia billbergioides L.B. Smith is a very rare but extraordinarily attractive species. It has been known until now only from the type locality in low scrub on slopes near the Hacienda Porculla, between Olmos and Jaen, at an altitude of 1800-2000 M (Dptm. Lambayeque, northern Peru; Ferreyra 14161, March 1961).
In February 1988, we found this species further northwards in the valley of Canchaque-Huancabamba (above the village Canchaque) at an altitude of 1800-2300 m on rocky slopes in association with many ferns, mosses, lichens, peperomias and many other herbs. Our plant (Rauh 69 153) differs only in some points from the original description. The following description is based on our Canchaque material:
Habitat and distribution: valley of Canchaque on the Pacific side of the Andes, in an altitude between 2000 and 2500 m (N-Peru).
We did not see the plant at the type locality, about 100 km to the south. The main difference between the description of L.B. Smith and ours is the length of the stamens. According to Smith the stamens are included, in our plant they are long exserted. —SeeRauh 1989bp. 195-196
