Vriesea pabstii McWilliams & L.B.Sm.
Literature references:
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Comments:
- from Bromel. Soc. Bull. 20: 54,fig. 1-5. 1970
The genus Vriesea includes over 215 species, most of which are epiphytes, belonging to the subfamily Tillandsioideae. The major character which separates the group from the very closely allied and larger genus Tillandsia is the presence of petal scales. Smith (1966) notes that the heavy concentration of species from the three subgenera of Vriesea in the area of Rio de Janeiro indicates that it is in this section of Brazil that the genus originated.
In February 1968, Dr. G. F. J. Pabst generously provided transportation and equipment for a bromeliad collecting trip in southeastern Brazil (McWilliams, 1968) . One of the bromeliads found on this expedition was an unrecognized species of Vriesea growing at an altitude of about 1,000 meters at the crest of the serra above the coastal town of Ubatuba, Sao Paulo. This taxon, to be described below as Vriesea pabstii sp. nov, was growing in a rainforest 20 km. northeast of Ubatuba along with V. altodaserra L. B. Smith and Nidularium innocentii Lem. A populaton of approximately fifteen plants of the new species was observed growing in rich leaf mold and bryophytes in deep shade in an area of about one hectare. —See Smith & Downs 1977
