Aechmea gigantea Baker (
non Baker, (65) 1889)
Literature references:
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Comments:
- Olwen Ferris in Bromeletter 25(1): 10. 1987
Enquiries about Aechmea sphaerocephala, known by many as the Giant Red Aechmea, reminded me about its early beginning in Australia.
In 1963, the first editor of Bromeleter, Bob Agnew, sent a parcel of bromeliads over to America for identification. One plant, grown from seed labelled Aechmea gigantea, truly lived up to its name. It was a massive cylindric tube over a metre long and rose tinged. The answer came back that Ae. gigantea was a synonym for Aechmea sphaerocephala so we all changed the name on our plants to Aechmea sphaerocephala. While living in Sydney, N.S.W. I never saw a plant in flower, but on moving to Queensland my plants all flowered and I started to have doubts as to the name being correct. In Queensland, I also found a smaller form that measures under a metre in height. The inflorescences of both forms are shorter than the leaves and more closely fit the description in Bromeliaceae by Smith & Downs, of Aechmea gigantea .
While Aechmea sphaerocephala, on p. 1950, does list Ae. gigantea as an old name for that species, on page 1799 you find the description of the true Ae. gigantea so this plant was correctly named in the first place.
One of our members recently visited The Marie Selby Botanic Gardens in Florida, U.S.A. and saw an aechmea that looked like our Ae. sphaerocephala and was surprised to find it labelled Ae. gigantea. This information sent me to my books and it was easy to see on looking up Ae. sphaerocephala how the mistake came about, as no flower had been sent with the leaves to be identified
Paradise Point, QLD. 4216
AECHMEA GIGANTEA. (Continued) By W.O. Morris. in Bromeletter 25(3): 10-11. 1987
A short note about my part in the early history of Aechmea gigantea as told in the Jan/Feb. Bromeletter.
I know nothing about the raising of A. gigantea from seed in 1963. I got my plant very early (I think pre the formation of The Bromeliad Society of Australia and I suspect from the late Charles Hodson of Melbourne). After growing it for a number of years, I finally force flowered it with carbide. I then sent a leaf and flower to Dr. Lyman B. Smith. This is the specimen listed in the monograph Bromelioideae by Smith & Downs, under Aechmea gigantea and under my name. I believe it was somewhere about 1963, as we moved to Cairns in 1964, so it was before that.
Dr. Smith wrote me a very excited letter, as this was the first material of Aechmea gigantea he had seen. The original type specimen was a painting (Monograph "Type Morren Icon"), and according to Dr. Smith the plant had been lost for almost 100 years until this was received from me.
I doubt therefore that seed of the species was available in 1963. My plants have never set seed - have yours? ( Ed. comment- I never managed to flower my plants in Sydney and on the few times they have flowered in the 16 years we have been in S.E.Qld., they have never set seed.)
You said Bob Agnew sent a parcel of Bromeliads for identification and as he didn't send a flower, how do we know what was sent as Aechmea sphaerocephala ? ( Ed. comment- The plant was a talking point at one of the Society meetings in Sydney. Evidently this was after you moved to Cairns. At that time we all changed our labels from Ae. gigantea to Ae. sphaerocephala.)
As far as I was concerned, my plant, pre 1964 was unnamed. Then, from then on it was Aechmea gigantea. The name A. sphaerocephala never entered into it for me. Have you ever seen plants that you think are A. sphaerocephala? (Ed. comment- No, I have never seen a plant that I think is Ae. sphaerocephala.)
Is it possible that your smaller grower is A. sphaerocephala ? ( Ed. comment- No, my smaller growing Ae. gigantea is identical in every way to the larger form and
I have flowered them both at the same time with identical inflorescences.)
It would be interesting to know who Bob Agnew sent his plants to for identification. If it was Dr. Smith it may have just preceeded my material and he may have suggested Aechmea sphaerocephala as he thought Aechmea gigantea was lost. ( Ed. comment- I think you would be correct in thinking that Bob's material was sent to Dr. Smith before he had seen your material. My guess is that he got his plant from the same source as you did. If it was Charles Hodson, I wonder where he obtained his stock?)
That is my information about the history of Aechmea gigantea.
Thanks Bill, for letting us know about your part in the history of Ae. gigantea
by Butcher 2003 A. sphaerocephala is in the sub-genus Chevaliera as too was the A. gigantea of
Baker when it was in the genus Chevaliera.
A. gigantea that we have been talking about has been linked to Billbergia and Hoplophytum and is now treated as being in the sub-genus Aechmea and is close to A. aripensis and A. orlandiana !
What great fun this is with the changing of genera names especially wherethe same species name is involved!!
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1987 Page 6 BROMELETTER
LETTER BOX - From A.W. of Kingaroy. "I have had the Giant Red Aechmea for years and it has not flowered. It is growing under a small melaleuca tree where it gets sun and filtered shade. It has increased and a pup has been removed from it. This is now in the shade house and is as big as the parent and also offsetting. The one in the shadehouse also gets good light. How long does it take for these plants to flower? Am I doing something wrong with them? I recently read that this plant can grow very tall, but mine would be less than a metre high. One thing I like about it is that it houses a huge green frog, one of the biggest of its kind I have ever seen."
Answer:- You evidently have the smaller of the two forms of Ae. gigantea. I often wonder what triggers the flowering mechanism in some plants. The elevation of Kingaroy may give you nights similar to those of Sydney, where I was never successful in flowering of this plant. Have members anything to add about flowering Aechmea gigantea?
I am very sad to hear about the loss of your lovely daughter and extend to you and your family our sympathy. Olwen Ferris. Ed. —See Smith & Downs 1979
