from Crypt Soc Journ.17(1): 32. 2002
The True Cryptanthus pickelii
It has been nearly two years and it is not common knowledge: the plant we have been growing known as Cryptanthus pickellii is a fraud. The first specimens of this plant were collected in 1925, but the species was not described by L.B. Smith untIl 1955. In 2000, the Bromeliad Identification Center in Sarasota received young plants collected from the original locality of the type plant. This species SEL #2001.205 is considered the true Cryptanthus pickelii. The picture of this mature, pupping plant shows no similarity to that of the plant pictures on the front cover of the Cryptanthus Society Journal, Vol. 9, No.1, February 1994 (bottom left). It is the opinion of Harry Luther that the plant now growing in cultivation is Cryptanthus warren-loosei, (SE14).
I refer you to the article by Virginia Schrenker, 'Will the real Cryptanthus warren-loosei please stand up?' C.S.J Vol.XV, No.3-4, Oct.Dec 2000. In this article Virginia presented numerous specimens of C. warren-loosei to Harry Luther for his opinion which one was the true species. He believes they all are.
There are very few people who have the correctly named C. pickelii. Those of us who have the older plant will just have to put up with another change. It might be a while before we hear from the taxonomists whether our current plant is a new species or a variety of C. warren-loosei. In the meantime I will suggest to Derek Butcher our Cultivar Registrar that we use the name C. 'Pickel'. or C. warren-loosei 'Pickel' to avoid confusion. —SeeSmith & Downs 1979
