Billbergia amoena var. penduliflora M.B.Foster
Taxonomic Change:
- treated as a synonym of B. sanderiana in Smith & Downs but seems better as B. elegans —See Smith & Downs 1979
Literature references:
Comments:
- This interesting variety of Billbergia amoena with its pendent inflorescence is quite in contrast with the typical form because of its pendulous inflorescence and the large primary and scape bracts which are very rich orange in color. The leaves, strap shaped, form a rather narrow tube. These tubular, grey-green plants grow on the rocks.
It was our experience in 1939 and 1940 to find more varieties and forms of Billbergia amoena in Brazil than of any other species in the genus. We made fourteen different collections in seven different states.
The typical variety was first described as Tillandsia amoena Lodd. in Oct. 1818, and in Dec. 1818 the same was described as Bromelia pallida Ker. In 1825 it was named Tillandsia variegata Vell., but thirty-two years later, in 1857, Beer put it in the right genus and named it Billbergia pallida; in the same year it was called Billbergia pallescens by C. Koch and Bouche. Another thirty-two years later, Baker gave it the name of Billbergia speciosa. And, as if this plant had not had enough names, De Jonge ex Mez, in 1916, named it Billbergia Wiotiana, then, in 1919, Mez called it Billbergia Wacketii.
In spite of all these attempts to name a Billbergia species, the specific name amoena, originally given by (Lodd.) Lindl. in 1827, still stands as the legal specific name. (It has been proven that he had the wrong genus).
Since then, varieties have been published:
1.var minor (Antoine & Beer) L. B. Smith
2.var. viridis L. B. Smith
3.var rubra M. B. Foster
4. and now, var penduliflora M. B. Foster
Amoena means beautiful, and no matter where you find it in all of its variable forms, this Billbergia is beautiful. - —See Foster 1962c p. 12(3): 51
