Aechmea roeseliae - by Derek Butcher in Bromeliaceae Sep/Oct 1998 p16
"Never heard of it," I hear you say. Well, you are in for a real treat because this plant is in Australia and has only just been described by Harry Luther. (See Selbyana 19(1) page 86-p,90, 1998.)
Let's go back 5 years when Margaret Paterson of Gympie asked me to name an aechmea she had, I took photographs and promised to find out an answer. Apparently she had got her plant from the Hobbs of Brisbane who said the plant had been collected in Trinidad but knew nothing else about the plant. This had me checking on aechmeas endemic to Trinidad and I came to a dead end. So I sent a slide to Harry with a tale of woe. He said the slide was a bit fuzzy but the plant seemed like one he collected in Ecuador- could I send him plant pieces? Margaret obliged and I duly sent the required pieces to Harry. He suggested the plant was close to A. abbreviata and perhaps A. aff. abbreviata might be a good name. This information was conveyed to Margaret and the case was filed !
When I received copies of Harry's separata I carefully read the NEW information of new species, as I usually do, and was surprised to see a reference to a paratype under a D.Butcher. How many D.Butchers were there? And it dawned on me it could be the Margaret Paterson plant and the dates did tally. Further investigation has revealed that the plant came to Australia in 1992 via Peter Tristram of Repton, NSW. We do know this plant can even die in Brisbane, so it is certainly cold tender. It lasts 5 minutes in Adelaide! Because of its rarity I would suggest that our more northern growers give it a go.
Margaret Paterson now has the full description and I can also let you know if you are really keen. Meanwhile, the following information that Harry gave will certainly be of interest.
"When first collected and cultivated, the type plant of Aechmea roeseliae was thought to be an odd form of A. abbreviata. A.roeseliae consistently differ from this species by having the terminal spike polystichously flowered (versus distichously flowered), in addition, the terminal spike is usually much longer and somewhat more laxly flowered than the lateral branches.
Aechmea contracta has distichously flowered lateral branches (not always present) with the terminal spike trigonally flowered, in addition, the spike rhachis is broader and is excavated at the base of each flower, the spike rhachis of A.roeseliae is angled but scarcely excavated.
The specific name honours one of the co-collectors, Cheryl Roesel, formerly on the research staff at the Marie Selby Botanic Gardens, and now at the Smithsonian Institution".
Fulham, S.A. —SeeSelbyanap. ???
