FloraPix

13674 - Bromeliads (Wild) - 2018-03-12
(Dimension: 2030 x 1550 pixels - Counter: 8590)
Josemania asplundii

Locality: Ecuador, Zamora-Chinchipe Province - On road east from Los Encuentros toward the Condor Mnts. Common there, and in bloom (near the end of bloom) at end of January in this region. Grows epiphytically in the trees along the road. Inflorescence is bright red and yellow when in anthesis, and apparently fades fairly quickly post anthesis. Somewhat variable in size, but always with broad leaves, discolor below, and nearly yellowish green above in good light. The plant shown in anthesis had the top portion of the inflorescence broken off. Elevation between 1500 and 1600 meters in this area.
Photographer: Jerry Raack

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Identification (13673): Walter Till (2018-03-12) =Josemania truncata var major - Albeit the inflorescence appears to be once branched the very broad leaves and the horizontally spreading branches better fit this taxon
Add Note (13673): Jerry Raack (2018-03-12) - I compared my plant photos to those of T. truncata on this same website, and find a very noticeable difference between them. First, the rachis of the spikes is geniculate (bent like a knee joint) in T. truncata, whereas here it is straight. Second, the floral bracts of T. truncata are highly nerved, whereas here they are smooth. Lastly, the flowers stand at nearly a right-angle (erect) to the spike here,m whereas in T. truncata, they are suberect. I'll stick with Josemania asplundii unless I am convinced otherwise. I did not see T. truncata on my trip this year. I do agree that the foliage on the plant I show here with the broken spike appears somewhat different than the typical Josemania asplunddi, one of the more typical foliage forms I do show (has foliage that is a bit narrower, more silvery lepidote on the underside, and more gray above).