Billbergia vittata Brongn. ex Morel
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- NOMENCLATURE CLARIFICATION Billbergia vittata Brong: versus Billbergia leopoldi by M Foster in Brom. Soc. Bull. 2(2): 20. 1952
Billbergia vittata was first described in 1848 but has, like many other bromels, been listed under a number of synonyms such as B. zonatus Hort., B. Moreliana Lem:, B. amabilis Morr:, B. leopoldi C. Koch and B. Rohaniana DeVriese.
Billbergia vittata was illustrated in color plates in La Belgique Horticole in 1874. B. leopoldi E. Morr. was illustrated with a beautiful color plate in 1871 in Belgique Hortieole and has an inflorescence very similar to B. zebrina and B. porteana. It was first listed as B. Helicodea in 1864 but has now been thrown into synonomy and the new name given by Lyman Smith is Billbergia brasiliana. Both of these species B. vittata and B. brasiliana (B. leopoldi ) have leaves with grey bands and the layman could easily be confused when looking at the leaves only. The flowers; however, are quite different and one small feature alone, the color and shape of the sepals and ovary is an easy mark of distinction. The true species of B. vittata has dark blue sepals which have an interesting little twist to them and this character shows up in every hybrid I have ever seen with vittata as one of the parents. The sepals of B. brasiliana (leopoldi) are white and mealy as well as is the ovary.
So far as I know the species B. brasiliana which has until recently been recognized as the true B. leopoldi has never been grown in the United States, but the name B. leopoldi has been erroneously given to B. vittata especially in California and unfortunately B. vittata has been sold mostly under the name of B. leopoldi there. I have had several specimens sent to me from California for identification and in every case the species has been B. vittata and NOT B: leopoldi.
To add to the confusion, I have three distinct phases of this B. vittata plant which I collected in the wilds of Brazil. They are different in leaf appearance from the one popularly sold in California as B. leopoldi. But the flowers of all four phases are so nearly alike that there is no doubt about them all being the same species; although they could easily be mistaken when not in flower because their plant shapes and color are so variable.
The showy inflorescence of B. vittata is somewhat drooping but flowers are erect; the erect scape bracts are bright red. There are often three or four flowers on the lower branches. The exposed part of petals are violet, lower part green. Sepals are reddish with violet tips twisted to a cuspid or point. Anthers on stamens are bright orange-yellow.
In 1894 a hybrid between B. decora and B. Saundersii was made in Europe and even this was named B. leopoldi!
It is to be hoped that this B. vittata versus B. leopoldi will be straightened out by the Society members and growers whenever it is possible. It can do away with much confusion:
Let us drop the name B. leopoldi NOW! There is NO such species: B. vittata is the proper name for all plants which have been called B. leopoldi and distributed principally from California. —See Foster 1952 p. 2(2): 20