Billbergia distachia (Vellozo) Mez, Mart. Fl. Bras. 3(3): 417. 1892; as "distacaia."
Desc from S&D
Plant propagating by short slender rhizomes, flowering 4-6 dm high with the inflorescence extended.
Leaves few in a cylindric or slenderly bulbous rosette, rarely white-spotted, the outer much reduced, the inner 25-90 cm long.
Sheaths large, elliptic, much wider than the blades.
Blades narrowly triangular and attenuate or sometimes the inner linear and rounded, from very narrow to 5 cm wide, laxly and minutely serrulate to entire, sparsely pale-appressed-lepidote beneath, not banded.
Scape very slender, decurved, glabrous.
Scape-bracts erect, imbricate, lanceolate, acute, rose, covered with white, appressed scales beneath.
Inflorescence pseudosimple with very short spreading branches, lax, few-flowered, glabrous; axis very slender, geniculate.
Floral bracts minute, much shorter than the ovary.
Flowers sessile.
Sepals oblong, obtuse or emarginate to minutely apiculate, 17 -25 mm long, very pale green.
Petals linear, obtuse, 40-52 mm long, pale green, bearing 2 serrate scales at base.
Stamens included, filaments of the second series short-connate with the petals, pollen ellipsoid, sculptured, sulcate when dry.
Ovary slenderly ellipsoid, sulcate, epigynous tube short, funnelform; ovules apiculate; fruit distinctly enlarged from the ovary.

Key to Varieties of Billbergia distachia
A. Leaves concolorous.
----2. Sepals blue at apex. ........3. Petals blue at apex.........................var distachia.
........3. Petals wholly green.........................var straussiana.
----2. Sepals and petals wholly green..................var concolor.
B. Leaves flavous-spotted..............................var maculata.

Billbergia distachia var distachia
Tillandsia distachia Vellozo, Pl. Plum. 136. 1825.
Tillandsia distaceia Vellozo, Pl. Plum. Icon. 3:pl. 141. 1831.
Pitcairnia distachia (Vellozo) Beer, Bromel. 58. 1856; as "distaceia."
Billbergia ensifolia Baker, Handb. Bromel. 74. 1889. Type. South Brazil, Glaziou 16437 (B, photo OH).
Billbergia burchellii Baker, Handb. Bromel. 76. 1889. Type. Juquiri to Rancho do Felis, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Burchell4860 (K), 29 Jul1827.
Billbergia bakeri sensu Lindman, Sv. Vet-akad. Handl. 24(8): 34, pl 8, figs. 47-50. 1891. Based on Lindberg s n (S), Caldas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Sep 1854.
Billbergia caespitosa Lindman, Sv. Vet-akad. Handl. 24(8): 35, pl. 8, figs. 41-46. 1891. Type. Caldas, Minas Oerais, Brazil, Mosen 757 (S,lectotype; photo GH), 1 Oct 1873.
? Billbergia regeliana Mez, Repert. Sp. Nov. 14: 243. 1916. Saint Petersburg Hortus s n (B, photo B 1195/26),1914.

Leaves concolorous.
Sepals and petals blue at apex.
Type. Description and plate in the absence of any known specimen.
Distribution. Epiphytic and terrestrial in coastal scrub (restinga) and rainforest, from near sea level to 1800 m alt, eastern Brazil.

BRAZIL. Sellow bromel 4 (US); 78 (P); 81 (P); Widgren s n (S); Glaziou 13255 (P). Minas Gerais: Caldas, 18 Sep 1854, Lindberg in Regnell564 (S); 5 Sep 1869, Regnell-I-438-1/2 (S, US); 1 Oct 1873, Mosen 757(S); Palmira, 30 Sep 1937, Brade 15920 (RB); Caxambu, 4 Aug 1967, E. Pereira 10611 (HB, US). Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia, Jul 1902, Dusen 721 (R); 724 (R); Ju11915, Rose & Russell 20587 (US); 2 Jan 1929, L. B. Smith 1628 (GH); 18 Jun 1930, Brade 10078 (R); 1 Jul 1939, Foster 136 (GH, R). (Guanabara): Sao Cristovao, 26 Ju11880, Glaziou 12227 (P); Barra da Tijuca, Reitz 4755 (! Reitz). Sao Paulo: Sellow 182 (B); Serra da Caracol, 1 Apr 1874, Mosen 1728 (S); Campinas, 1 Ju11875, Mosen 3930 (S); Jul l900, Novaes 1207 (US); 6 Nov 1938, Viegas s n (SP); 26 Oct 1939, Zagatto s n (IAC); Taubate., 14 Sep 1892, Lofgren & Edwall in Com. G. & G. de S. Paulo 1852 (GH, SP); Sao Paulo, Aug 1895, Edwall in Com. G. & G. de S. Paulo 3107 (SP); 6 Oct 1940, Foster 1130 (GH); Oleo, 22 May 1898, Edwall in Com. G. & G. de S. Paulo 3898 (SP); Butanta, Sao Paulo, 10 Aug 1917, Hoehne s n (GH, SP); Campos do Jordao, 15 Sep 1923, Hoehne s n (SP); 10 Sep 1937, Campos Porto 3362 (RB); 1945, Eugenio 3506 (GH); Pflanzenmuster 48 (Z); Itapira, 19 May 1927 , Hoehnes n (GH, SP); Orchidario, Sao Paulo, 1939, Foster 341 (R); Santo Observatorio, 15 Aug 1939, Foster 351 (GH); Una, 23 Aug 1939, Foster 388 (GH); M. Kuhlmann s n (GH); Fonte Sanatoria, 24 Aug 1939, Foster 389 (GH); Santo Amaro, Ju1 1942, Krieger 180 (SP); Monte Alegre do Sul, 1 Apr 1943, M. Kuhlmann 512 (SP); 22 Ju1 1949, M. Kuhlmann & Kuhn 1813 (SP); Serra da Bocaina, 10 Oct 1951, Brade & Duarte 21196 (RB, US); Moji-Guacu, 20 Sep 1960, Mattos 8237 (US). Parana: Jaguariaiva, 25 Jun 1910, Dusen 10056 (S); 6 Oct 1911, s n (S); 7 Jun 1915, s n (S); Pinhaes, Dusen s n (S, US); Carvalho, 12 Sep 1911, Dusen 12188 (S); Curitiba, 2 Sep 1939, Foster 458 (GH, R); 460 (GH); M. Kuhlmann s n (SP, US); Piraquara, 3 Jul 1949, Hatschbach 1443 (MBM, US); Guaratuba, 4 Jul 1950, Reitz 3594 (HBR); 6 Jul 1958, Hatschbach 4897(MBM, US); Sao Jose dos Pinhaes, 12 Aug 1966, Hatschbach 14587(MBM, US); Campina Grande do Sul, 16 Ju11968, Hatschbach 19506 (MBM, US). Santa Catarina: Itajai, Sep 1885, Ule 546 (HBG, R); Taio, 25 May 1951, Reitz 4034 (HBR); 5 Ju11951, 4060 (HBR); Fachinal, Biguacu, 21 Ju1 1951, Reitz 4096 (HBR); Vargem Grande, Florianopolis, 25 May 1968, Klein & Bresolin 7733 (FLOR, HBR).

Billbergia distachia var straussiana (Wittmack) L. B. Smith, Anais Bot. Herb. Barbosa Rodrigues 2: 13. 1950.
Billbergia pallescens sensu Baker, Bot. Mag. 104: pl. 6342. 1878; non K. Koch & Bouche, 1857. Based on Kew Hortus s n.
Billbergia bakeri E. Morren, Belg. Hortic. 30: 166, pl. 8. 1880; nomen novum forBillbergia pallescens sensu Baker.
Billbergia amoena var cernua Beer ex E. Morren, Belg. Hortic. 30: 167. 1880; nomen.
Billbergia bakeri var straussiana Wittmack, Gartenzeit. 4: 487. 1885.

Leaves concolorous. (Note. Reitz in Bromeliaceas 1983 says “with purple-red sheaths, mainly on inside, but also a little on the outside where the colour can extend to the blade”)
Sepals blue at apex.
petals wholly green.
Type. H. Strauss in Wittmack Hortus s n (B ? n v, ! Mez).
Distribution. Terrestrial in coastal scrub (restinga), near sea level, Sao Paulo to Santa Catarina, Brazil.

BRAZIL. Sao Paulo: Braganca, Aug 1910, C. Duarte s n (SP). Parana: Guaratuba, 4 Ju1 1950, 1nst. Malariologia in Reitz 3594 (HBR). Santa Catarina: Canto Grande, Porto Belo, 12 Jul 1950, Reitz 3626 in part (HBR); 25 Aug 1950, 3705-a (HBR); 10 Jun 1951, 4039 (HBR); Inferninhos, Araquari, 5 Jun 1951, Reitz 4035 (HBR); Barra do Sui, Araquari, 12 Jun 1953, Reitz & Klein 780 (HBR, US).

Billbergia distachia var concolor Reitz, Anais. Bot. Herb. Barbosa Rodrigues 4: 33. 1952.
Leaves concolorous.
Sepals and petals wholly green.
Type. Reitz 4152 (holotype, HBR), Fachinal, Biguacu, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 14 Jul1951.
Distribution. Epiphytic in forest, Rio de Janeiro and Santa Catarina, Brazil.
BRAZIL. Rio de Janeiro: Itatiaia, 6 Oct 1945, Altamiro & Walter 19 (RB). Santa Catarina: Anitapolis, 27 Dec 1951, Reitz 4535(HBR).

Billbergia distachia var maculata Reitz, Anais. Bot. Herb. Barbosa Rodrigues 4: 33.1952.
Leaves flavous-spotted.
Type. Reitz 4763 (holotype, HBR), Canto Grande, Porto Belo, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 10 Jul 1952.
Distribution. Known from the type collection only.