Alcantarea extensa (L.B. SMITH) J.R. GRANT, comb. nov. Basionym: TSP 91 (1995)
Vriesea extensa L.B. SMITH, Arq. Bot. Estado Sao Paulo II. 1: 116, 1943. TYPE: Brazil. Espirito Santo: Pico de Itabira, FOSTER & FOSTER 163 (holotype, GH not seen; photo US).

Desc from S&D
242. Vriesea extensa L. B. Smith, Arq. Bot. S. Paulo II. I: 1943. 116, pl.120. Fig 421 A-D.
Vriesea regina sensu Wittmack, Gartenflora 40: 160,figs.46,47. 1891; non Beer, 1857. Based on Gravis in Hort. Liege (LG n v).

Plant flowering 2-3 m high.
Leaves many in a funnel form rosette, ca 1 m long;
Sheaths large but inconspicuous, covered with minute appressed brown scales;
Blades ligulate, acute, 5-10 cm wide, pale bluish green, smooth and glabrous above, obscurely lepidote beneath.
Scape erect, stout;
Scape-bracts divergent, the lower subfoliaceous and imbricate, the upper acuminate from a broadly ovate base, not covering the scape.
Inflorescence laxly bipinnate from a few branches;
Primary bracts much shorter than the sterile bases of the branches, broadly ovate, acute;
Branches spreading, many-flowered, lax, to 65 cm long, lightly sigmoid, geniculate.
Floral bracts broadly elliptic, obtuse, 4 cm long, exceeded by the sepals, inflated, ecarinate, humped and incurved below the apex, strongly rugose on drying;
Flowers distichous, spreading;
Pedicels stout, to 1 cm long.
Sepals elliptic, 35-50 mm long;
Petals linear, acute, to 8 cm long, shorter than the stamens;
Seeds bearing a coma on both ends.
Type. Foster 163 (holotype GH), Cachoeira do ltapemirim, Espirito Santo, Brazil, Jul 1939.
DISTRIBUTION. On ledges in full sun, Espirito Santo, Brazil.
BRAZIL. ESPIRITO SANTO: Jatiboca, Itaguassu, 28 May 1946, Brade, Altamira & Apparicia 18499 (RB, US); Vitoria to Timbui, 13 Aug 1965, A. P. Duarte 8893 (HB, US).