Bromeliads in Australia - Neoregelia spectabilis and Jaffa

Derek the Hybrid Detective

DD0312 Neoregelia spectabilis and the so-called variegated form.
by Derek Butcher, February 2012

This was first described as Nidularium spectabile by T. Moore in 1873 and this was said about the plant at the time. -
“N. spectabile was imported by Mr. Bull from the interior of Brazil, and flowered in his establishment in December, 1872. It is a very striking plant and may at once be recognised from any species hitherto cultivated in England, by the singular bright blood-red ends of the leaves, which form a clearly defined and singular contrast both to the bright green of the upper surface and the glaucous dull green of the lower surface of the leaf.” (See below for full transcript.)
The painting shows whitish petals but it is said these are violet-blue.

We can trace this species in Australia to the 1960’s when species were abundant and hybrids rare. In all probability it came to Australia direct from Brazil although it could also have got here from the USA at later dates. Some have more distinct barring on the underneath surface of the leaves and these are to be cherished.

It must have been about the 1970’s that someone imported a N. spectabilis that was different because it was supposed to be variegated. These were the days when everything that had even a slight variation in the colour of longitudinal stripes was snapped up. After all it could only improve! Since then the intensity of variation in colour has made us choosier regarding this attribute. Meanwhile, offset after offset was taken from this ‘variegate’ and even the most optimistic of growers gave up in despair. This did not stop new owners of the plant having the same dreams.

Even with my pushing for bromeliads to be given cultivar names if different to the norm, I could see nothing worthy in this plant.

In February 2012 Ian Hook from the BSA, informs me that this plant is making a revival on ebay and sometimes called ‘Jaffa’ and I have no idea the significance of this name. All I can remember is rolling such things down the aisle while watching ‘the pictures’.
Anyway we are recording this name in the Bromeliad Cultivar Register just in case in the future someone says “What is a ‘Jaffa’?”

Notes from Ian Hook to Derek Butcher, Feb.2012:
1. I have read that Mulford Foster had around 400 versions of spectabils cultivars and hybrids. After his death, the collection was broken up, given away to friends, and records were poor.
2. Many of Foster’s hybrids are listed in the BCR as “parent = spectabilis variegata”
3. This variegated spectabilis also goes by the name of “Foster’s spectabilis” in older Sydney collections. Such fairy tales often have some element of truth.
4. The variegation is not great by today’s standards, and seems to fade in too much sun.
5. Frequently found in Bromeliad collections. Particularly among beginners who dream of breeding a better variegate.
6. Often called N. 'Jaffa' on eBay and other commercial websites (and worldwide?)
7. Neither N. JAFFA, N. spectabilis Variegated, or ‘Foster’s spectabilis are registered.
8. Wikipedia: “Jaffas - The name derives from the Jaffa orange. The sweet is ... Through association with this sweet, Jaffa is sometimes used to describe a chocolate-orange flavour.”
9. Is it just a variegated spectabilis ? Growers here suggest it could be either a hybrid or an extreme version of spectabilis. (from Foster?)
9a. The leaves get an orange background that is not well duplicated in the dark green spectabilis grown all over Australia.
9b. Where did the red spots on the leaves come from? (not present in spectabilis.)
9c. The ”purplish banding towards base of leaves” is far less prominent in 'Jaffa'.
9d. Typically shorter, broader, fewer leaves in 'Jaffa'.
9e. Flowers light blue, slightly paler than spectabilis???
None of these are proof it is a hybrid of course, but we suspect it’s more than just a spectabilis gone variegated. Does anyone feel like getting seed and growing to check ? or finding one that reverts back to a ?

If anyone has any information to add, please contact the webmaster, Ian Hook.
I'm also keen to find out what this plant looks like, or is named, in other countries.

Curtis Bot Mag 99.1873
Tab. 6024.
NIDULARIUM SPECTABILE
Native of Brazil.

Nat Ord. Bromeliacea – Tribe Ananassea
Genus NIDULARIUM, Lamaire Jardin Fleuriste, vol. Iv., Misc., p. 60, t. 441.
NIDULARIUM spectabile; acaule, caespitosum, foliis rosulatis recurvis e basi late dilatata late loriformibus (ad 2-poll. Latis) planiusculis minute distanter spinulosa-dentatis apice late sanguine rotundatis ungue rigido terminates supra viridibus subtus glaucaescentibus albo transverse fasciitis, floribus in fasciculum multiflorum terminalem sessile dense congestis, bracteis lanceolatis acuminates purpureis calycem aequantibus calycis lobis oblongis longe cuspidatis sanguineis, petalis infra medium in tubum connatis dein ellipticis acuminates recurvis violaceis, antheris sessilibus.
NIDULARIUM spectabile, T.Moore in Gard. Chron., 1873, p.8.

The genus Nidularium was established by Lemaire in 1854, and includes various species of the old genera Bromelia, Billbergia, &c., together with others, of which a dozen are enumerated by Morren, in his valuable “Catalogue des Broméliacees cultivées au Jardin Botanique de l’Université de Liege” (1873.) Among them N. Meyendorffii, Regal, (Billbergia olens, Tab. Nost. 5502), is the only one quoted as being hitherto figured in the “Botanical Magazine.” The genus is probably a large one, and we have dried specimens of the foliage of several Brazilian species, beside the considerable number that are in cultivation. N. spectabile was imported by Mr. Bull from the interior of Brazil, and flowered in his establishment in December, 1872. It is a very striking plant, allied to N. Meyendorffii, Lemaire (Ill. Hort, t, 245), but very distinct; and may at once be recognised from any species hitherto cultivated in England, by the singular bright blood-red ends of the leaves, which form a clearly defined and singular contrast both to the bright green of the upper surface and the glaucous dull green of the lower surface of the leaf.
Descr. Tufted, stemless. Leaves twelve to fourteen inches long by one and a half to two inches broad, inner shorter, broadly strap-shaped from a very broad sheathing base, slightly concave, points rounded with a beak-like cusp, margin with small remote spiny teeth, upper surface dark green except the tip, which presents a bright blood-red patch half an inch deep on both surfaces; under surface covered with alternate dull green and dirty white lepidote transverse bands; towards the base of the leaf the green bands are purplish. Flowers numerous in a crowded terminal flat-topped fascicle, one and three quarters to two inches in diameter, sunk amongst the uppermost leaves, spinulose from the prominent bracts, which are lanceolate concave, rose-purple above the middle, and terminate in acircular points. Ovary ovoid, white. Calyx-limb of three elliptic blood-red segments, terminating in erect acircular points, which equal the corolla-tube. Corolla-tube pale, obtusely 3-angled; limb three quarters of an inch diameter, of three spreading and recurved ovate acuminate violet-blue segments. Anthers linear-oblong, sessile in the mouth of the tube. – J.D.H.
MARCH 1st, 1873.

Original article and Fig.1, thanks to Derek Butcher.
Fig.1, Whole plant reduced; 2, flower and bracts; 3, portion of tube and a segment of corolla with anthers; 4, ovary: - all magnified.

Neoregelia spectabilis