Orthophytum saxicola (Ule) L.B.Sm.

Literature references:

Bot. Jahrb.: 42:193 Bromtravels (Web) Butcher & Gouda 2017b: 266,267 FCBS (Web) J. Bromeliad Soc.: 39:251d Lea 1984: 24 Leme & Marigo 1993: 118,119 Mez 1935: 10 Oliva-Esteve 2002: 54 Parkhurst 2000: 140 Rauh 1981, 1990: Fig. 66 Seringer 2018b: 93 Smith & Downs 1979: 1700,1701: 1700*: 1700* Steens 2003: 128 U.S. Nat. Herb.

Wien Herbarium, Inst Wilson 1977: 55

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Comments:

• Misnamed Bromeliads, No. 5; Orthophytum saxicola, a Clarification Harry E. Luther in J Brom. Soc. 39: 251. 1989
  It has recently come to my attention that the common, cultivated plants universally grown as Orthophytum saxicola (Ule) L.B. Smith do not represent the typical variety of that species. Cultivated material produces an elongated, conspicuous scape with long, foliaceous scape bracts. That plant represents variety aloifolium L.B. Sm. Plants of var. saxicola are very rarely encountered in horticulture but the persistent collector may be able to locate it as Orthophytum `Huntington' of Huntington Gardens. For some reason that cultivar of var. saxicola has never been widely distributed. Orthophytum saxicola var. saxicola may be distinguished by its more or less sessile inflorescence with very short scape bracts.
  Perhaps with this clarification in mind culturists will no longer comment on the supposed inaccuracy of the plate of O. saxicola in Flora Neotropica monograph 14, pt. 3, p. 1701 and reproduced below. —See Smith & Downs 1979