This new species was found growing epiphytically in a very humid and dense Atlantic Forest of low elevation, forming a small population spread in an area of about 50 m2, sharing its habitat with Aechmea fulgens Brongn., Araeococcus parviflorus (Mart. ex Shult. f.) Lind., Guzmania lingulata (L.) Mez, and the rare Vriesea recurvata Gaudich., to name few. Not far from the collection site L. globosa Leme and L. corallina were encountered too. Despite growing in the same area of its closer relatives, the paler colored inflorescence of L. languida as well as its distinctly fragrant flowers, in contrast with the bright coralline-red inflorescence of L. corallina, bearing odorless flowers (as far as known), suggest a different pollination syndrome.
The genus Lymania is small-sized bromelioid genus, comprising 8 recognized species (Souza, 2004), not including the species described below. It is endemic to Northeastern Brazil and lives in the Atlantic Rain Forest that stretches from the State of Bahia to the State of Alagoas and Pernambuco (pers. obs.) - the Northernmost limit. The diversity center of the genus is concentrated in Bahia where all known species can currently be found.
Lymania species are exclusively epiphytic, living mostly on the shady lower tree trunks, very often close to the forest floor, propagating by means of long slender sinuous stolons. The taxonomy and phylogeny of the genus was recently revised by Sousa (2004), who provided a more complete identification key when compared to Leme's key (1989). On the basis of this new key, an undescribed species closely related to L. corallina (Brong. ex Beer) Read was recognized and presented below: —SeeJ. Bromeliad Soc.