Vriesea harrylutheri was introduced in cultivation about 15 years ago. Since then this species has been misnamed as V. appariciana, to which it is very close related and forming a subcomplex of species distinguished by discrete and consistent morphological characters. In its general aspect, V. harrylutheri differs from the closer relatives by larger plants with broader leaves (6.5 cm vs. 3.5-4.5 cm wide at base) that are distinctly silvery-white coloured (vs. grayish-green), and by the leaf-blades, especially the basal ones being strongly reflexed at anthesis. Also, the longer inflorescence of this new species (35 cm vs. 12-17 cm long) has apical floral bracts with distal portions that are not imbricate (vs. completely imbricate) that form a crest prior to anthesis, and have a higher average number of flowers (18 vs. 10-16)
This new species is only known from the type locality in the county of Serra, Espirito Santo State where its grows side by side with V. plurifolia Leme, forming dense populations on vertical, bare escarpments at about 200 m elevation. —SeeVidalia, Revista da
