DISCUSSION
Neoregelia diversifolia is small in stature and well adapted to the rupicolous habit. When exposed to direct sunlight, the leaves may turn a lovely red hue in contrast to the more commonly observed green color. Neoregelia paulistana is apparently the most closely related species in terms of morphology. However, N. diversifolia differs in its smaller size, stolons bearing imbricate, obtuse to acute, paleaceous cataphylls, that are thin in texture and soon disintegrate, leaves not nervate and petals more shortly connate at base.
N. diversifolia shows an interesting similarity in habit to N. angustibracteolata; the latter is somewhat more delicate and flower details are completely dissonant and typical of the subgenus Neoregelia.
According to the protologue of N. diversifolia, this species was supposedly collected in Pedra Azul municipality, Minas Gerais. It was actually found in the Pedra Azul region of Espirito Santo, according to its collector (Kautsky, pers. comm.).
As far as we know today, N. diversifolia is restricted to the type locality in Pedra Azul. Here, it is a rupicolous species, growing on rocky outcrops on the edge of the Atlantic forest at ca. 1,200 m altitude, in a transition zone with grassy vegetation (highaltitude grasslands). It is protected in the Pedra Azul State Park, and flowers from October to November. There are two distinct clones in cultivation. —SeeLeme 1998
