This species is easily distinguishable by its stoloniferous growth, with small size pendant rosettes, leaves forming a compact, funnelform rosette and by the scape, inflorescence
floral bracts, and serrate sepals. This is also the only species in the subgenus that is found growing in cloud forests at ca. 1600 m.
This species does not have any closely related species in the subgenus. The closest relative is, perhaps, Neoregelia tarapotoensis with which it shares the small rosette habit, with slender, thin, round stolons, and both inhabit cloud forests, usually above 1,000 m. It differs from N. tarapotoensis however, in its longer stolons, bright red inner leaves, and serrate scape and floral bracts and sepals. There are a few clones in cultivation, two of them at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and another one in private greenhouses in Florida.
Plants of this species suffer strong changes under cultivation: the funnel-like rosette is no longer formed, instead the leaves are very elongated (up to 4 times the original length!) . Sometimes sterile rosettes become bright red on the apices of the leaves. Flowering has not been observed under cultivation. The seeds germinate in about 1 month (H. Luther,
personal communication) and the culture of this species is relatively easily, keeping the plant in humid soil (sphagnum and little amount of organic soil and vermiculite) , daily watering, moderate light, warm temperatures and high moisture.
All the illustrations and photographs of this species represent wild plants, where perhaps the restrictions of an epiphytic environment cause the small, compact rosettes.
The above description was made using the original description and added information from herbarium specimens and cultivated plants, to cover all the possible variation under different environmental conditions. p. Ramirez
