Desc from S&D
Leaves densely rosulate, usually spinose-serrate;
sheaths usually large and distinct;
blades from rounded and apiculate to long-attenuate.
Scape short, completely enclosed.
Inflorescence central, sunk in the center of the rosette, simple in most species, very densely capitiform, umbellate or corymbose.
Flowers perfect, pedicellate.
Sepals asymmetric;
petal-blades spreading, acuminate, violet, blue, white or rarely red;
stamens and pistil included.
Type. Billbergia meyendorffii Regel, Bot. Zeitung 15: 713. 1857.

Key to Subgenera of Neoregelia
1. Petals free; pedicels usually obscure (distinct in N. aculeatosepala) and merging with the slender ovaries. Amazon Basin. => subgen 1. Hylaeaicum.
1. Petals connate; pedicels usually distinct (obscure in N. laevis) and making a sharp contrast with the base of the stout ovary. Eastern Brazil. => subgen 2. Neoregelia.

Neoregelia subgen 1. Hylaeaicum (Ule) L. B. Smith & Read, Phytologia 33: 441. 1976.
Nidularium subgen Hylaeaicum Ule, Verh. Bot. Brandenb. 48: 133. 1907. Aregelia subgen Hylaeaicum (Ule) Mez, Pflanzenreich IV. 32: 40, 52. 1934.
Neoregelia subgen Amazonicae L. B. Smith, Phytologia 15: 191. 1967.
Petals free.
Type. Nidularium eleutheropetalum Ule, Verh. Bot. Brandenb. 48:131. 1907.

Neoregelia subgen 2. Neoregelia
Petals connate.
Type. Billbergia meyendorffii Regel, Bot. Zeitung 15: 713. 1857.

Sepalis frequenter symmetricis, suboblongis vel sublinearibus, interdum leviter asymmetricis; petalis (50-) 60-110 mm longis, raro minoribus sed intus permarufeste appendiculatis, apice etiam per anthesin erecto obtuso aut obtuso-emarginato; antheris prope basin darsifixis; stigrne cylindrico vel subcylindrico; tubo epigyno nullo; ovulis obtusis.

TYPE: Neoregelia bragarum (E. Pereira & L. B. Sm.) Leme
{Basionym: Wittrockia bragarum E. Pereira & L. B. Sm., Phytologia 18 (3): 141, pl. 1, figs. 12, 13. 1969}.

PLANTS epiphytic, saticolous or terrestrial, propagating by usually stout stolons bearing well-developed cataphylls.
LEAVES chartaceous to thickly coriaceous;
INFLORESCENCE umbellate, simple, usually distinctly longer than broad, about equalling the leaf-sheaths;
FLOWERS (45-) 60 to 120 mm long, often strongly fragrant;
SEPALS usually symmetrical, suboblong or sublinear, but sometimes asymmetrical, ecarinate;
PETALS (50-) 60-110 mm long, if shorter bearing protuding appendages at the apex of the corolla tube, and apex broadly obtuse to obtuse-emarginate and erect at anthesis;
ANTHERS dorsifixed near the base;
STIGMA conduplicate-spiral, cylindrical or nearly so;
OVARY inferior, white, glabrous; epigynous tube usually completely lacking; placentation usually apical; ovules obtuse.
FRUITS usually broadly sub-oblong to sub-globose, white, with green, red or dark wine-purple persistent calyx.

Neoregelia L. B. Sm. subgen. Protoregelia W Till & Leme, Subgen. Nov. in Canistropsis – Broms Atl. Forest. p96. 1998
Planta de statura magna, foliis coriaceis, 65-130 cm longis; inflorescentia corymbosa, bipinnata, capitata, in rosula immersa; bracteae primariae et florigerae membranaceae; flores ca. 80 mm longi, subpedicellati; sepala leviter asymmetrica, basi 10 mm connata, apice attenuato-caudata, densiter albolanata; petala 60-63 mm longa, apicem versus patento-recurvata, post anthesin recta vel spiraliter convoluta, basi 15-20 mm connata, exappendiculata, callositatibus binis distinctis; antheris 13-14 mm longis, tertio parte inferiori fixis; pollen sulcatum; stigma late ellipsoideum, album, conduplicato-spirale, lobis longe fimbriatis; tubo epigyneo 3-4 mm longo; ovulis apiculatis. TYPE: Neoregelia longisepala E. Pereira & Penna, Bradea 4 (1): 1-2, fig. 1. 1983.

PLANTS mesophytic, perennial herbs, terrestrial or epiphytic, stemless, large-sized, propagating by basal axillary shoots.
LEAVES coriaceous, 65-130 cm long, rosulate, forming broad crateriform rosettes; SHEATHS conspicuous, concolorous;
BLADES sublinear-lanceolate, not narrowed toward base, coarsely spinose.
SCAPE distinctly shorter than leaf-sheaths;
SCAPE BRACTS bracteiform, the upper ones not involucrate.
INFLORESCENCE corymbose, bipinnate, capitate, not involucrate, deep in the center of the rosette to equalling the length of the leaf-sheaths;
FLORAL BRACTS membranaceous;
FLOWERS perfect, shortly pedicellate, ca. 80 mm long;
SEPALS slightly asymmetrical, apex slenderly acuminate-caudate, shortly connate, ecarinate, very densely white-lanate;
PETALS linear-lanceolate, apex acute and apiculate, 60-63 mm long, spreading-¬recurved toward apex at anthesis, then erect to spirally twisted, basally connate, naked but bearing distinct callosities at the apex of the corolla tube;
FILAMENTS subequally adnate to the petals, slightly complanate, the antepetalous higher adnate than the antesepalous;
ANTHERS fixed at 1/3 their length above the base;
POLLEN sulcate;
STIGMA conduplicate-spiral, broadly ellipsoidal, long-fimbriate;
OVARY inferior, subtrigonous; epigynous tube distinct; placentation central to apical; ovules apiculate.
FRUITS and seeds unknown.

Key to Genera and Subgenera by Leme in Canistropsis – Broms Atl. Forest. 1998
1a - Sepals distinctly asymmetrical, with one side clearly more developed to bearing a large lateral membranaceous wing which usually equals or exceeds the apex, the posterior sepals often alate-carinate, with keels decurrent on the ovary; sepal apex mucronulate to spinescent, usually rigid; inflorescence usually well elevated above the leaf-rosette: If nidular, then inflorescence not immersed in accumulated water in the leaf rosette and distinctly exceeding the length of the leaf-sheaths; petals remaining suberect to erect after anthesis, not strongly spirally twisted nor involute-twisted; ovules to caudate. 2a - Inflorescence distinctly branched before anthesis, elevated above the leaf-rosette; ff nidular, then distinctly exceeding the length of the leaf-sheaths, and the plants propagating by short basal shoots; if long-stoloniferous, the stolons without persistent cataphylls, the central leaves never changing color at anthesis, or the inflorescence involucrate; if not involucrate, the inflorescence apex rounded or nearly so at anthesis.
2b - Inflorescence simple or pseudosimple to distinctly branched at the end of anthesis, barely exceeding the level of the water accumulated in the leaf-rosette and about equalling to the length of the leaf-sheaths; if inflorescence exceeds the length of the leaf-sheaths by a fraction only, then the plants very long-stoloniferous with stolons bearing persistent cataphylls and/or the central rosette leaves becoming bright red or purplish-lilac at anthesis, apex of inflorescence at anthesis flat, or nearly so, never involucrate.
Neoregelia subgen. Hylaeaicum.

1b - Sepals symmetrical to subsymmetrical, lacking a large lateral membranaceous wing;
If distinctly asymmetrical, the posterior sepals ecarinate or obtusely carinate, the keels not evident on the ovary, sepal apex obtuse and slenderly apiculate to attenuate-caudate non-rigid, the inflorescence immersed in the water accumulated in the leaf rosette and about equalling to exceeding the length of the leaf-sheaths by a fraction only, and the petals strongly spirally twisted or involute-twisted after anthesis; ovules to apiculate only.

5a - Sepals very densely and conspicuously white-lanate centrally and toward apex; pollen sulcate
Neoregelia subgen. Protoregelia.

5b - Sepals subdensely and inconspicuously lepidote to glabrescent; pollen porate.
6a - Inflorescence simple or pseudosimple; primary and floral bracts not involucrate, shorter than the branches and flowers; if distinctly branched, then inflorescence umbellate, or the central leaves becoming rose, red, or white at anthesis; petals strongly spirally twisted or involute-twisted after anthesis; fruits and persistant calyx white or red.

7a - Petals to 45 mm long, naked or bearing membranaceous appendages, but never bearing thick protuding appendages at the apex of the basal tube, apex acute to acuminate, suberect to spreading at anthesis, anthers dorsifixed at ? their length above the base; epigynous tube distinct:
Neoregelia subgen. Neoregelia.

7b - Petals (50-) 60-110 mm long; if shorter, then bearing thick, protuding appendages at the apex of the basal tube, apex broadly obtuse to obtuse-emarginate, erect at anthesis; anthers dorsifixed near the base; epigynous tube lacking.
8a - Flowers with pedicels longer than 5 mm; apex of the sepals obtuse to acuminate; antepetalous and antesepalous filaments more or less equally adnate to the corolla tube; stigma cylindric to subcylindric, white to bluish-lilac, ovary 8-15 (-17) mm long.
Neoregelia subgen. longipetalopsis

1. PETALS
- Spreading at anthesis => 3
- Not spreading at anthesis => 2

2. PETALS
- White, Leaf blades dark green with darker spots or dark purple cross bands => leucophoea
- Yellow, Leaf blades light green without spots => ibitipocensis

3. PETALS
- 5 - 10 cm long => 18
- less than 5 cm long => 4

4. PETALS
- Not joined. Plants from Amazon Basin => 5
- Joined. Plants from S.E. Brazil => 34

5. LEAVES
- Tongue shaped => 6
- Narrow triangular => 9

6. SEPALS
- Mostly free, inflorescence 6-8 cm. diam. => 7
- Joined, inflorescence ca. 1 cm. diam. => 9

7. INFLORESCENCE
- Compound 6-8 cm. diam. => eleutheropetala
- Simple, pedicels distinct => 8

8. LEAF BLADES
- Suffused rose especially on margins and tip at flowering. Petals palest lavender to whitish, => cathcartii
- Purple red spotted and at tip Petals dark blue towards tip => johnsoniae

9. STOLONS
- Long => 10
- Short, leaves up to 20 cm. long Petals blue => leviana

10. LEAVES
- Over 30 cm. long, inner leaves turning red at flowering, Petals white 1 cm. long => margaretae
- 15-20 cm. long. Inner leaves NOT turning red, Petals white, 2.5cm. long => tarapotoensis

11. SEPALS
- Free => 12
- Joined for 2-7 mm. => 14

12. SEPALS
- Sparsely lepidote => wurdackii
- Not lepidote, Petals white => myrmecophila

13. NOT USED

14. LEAF BLADES
- 5mm. wide => pendula
- 10-40mm. wide => 15

15. INFLORESCENCE
- Compound, Sepals 32 mm. leaves 50 - 60 cm long => rosea
- Simple, Sepals 10- 13 mm. => 17

16. NOT USED

17. STOLONS
- 8mm. thick, leaves 20, 30 cm. long, teeth pointed towards leaf tip => mooreana
- 4mm. thick, leaves ca. 5 18 cm. long, teeth pointed away from leaf tip => stolonifera

18. LEAF BLADES
- 4-8 cm wide => 19
- 2-4 cm wide => 27

19. LEAF BLADES
- Spiny => 20
- Not spiny => 21

20. LEAF BLADES
- With crossbands => rubrovittata
- Without crossbands => 22

21. LEAF BLADES
- green, stolons to 10 cm long => brigadeirensis
- with crossbands, stolons to 4cm long => azevedoi

22. SEPALS
- 4-8 cm wide => 23
- 3-4 cm wide => 24

23. PLANT
- almost tubular => tenebrosa
- open rosette => menescalii

24. LEAVES
- strongly lepidote on outside => 25
- sparsely lepidote on outside => 26

25. PEDICELS
- 3-3.5 cm long => longipedicellata
- 1 cm long => inexpectata

26. OUTER LEAVES
- tongue-like, stolons with blunt leaves => brownii
- triangular, stolons with pointed leaves => bragarum

27. LEAF BLADES
- not spiny or very few => 28
- spiny => 29

28. STOLONS
- to 10 cm long => brigadeirensis
- to 4 cm long => azevedoi

29. OUTER LEAVES
- same shape as inside => 30
- narrower than inside => 32

30. LEAVES
- Papery, few flowered => 31
- Leathery, 10 or more flowered => bahiana

31. STOLONS
- to 5 cm long => kerryi
- 10-20 cm long => mucugensis

32. PETALS
- joined for 3-3.5 cm, from Sao Paulo => paulistana
- joined for 1.5-2.5 cm , from Espirito Santo => 33

33. PLANT
- tubular shape, leaf-blades 10 cm long => diversifolia
- funnel shape, leaf-blades 25 - 40 cm long => inexpectata

34. INFLORESCENCE
- Compound => 35
- Simple => 39

35. LEAVES
- Over 1 m long with 4mm. long dark purple teeth, Sepals 50mm.long, Petals 60mm long violet => longisepala
- To 30cm. long with sparse lmm. long, teeth => 36

36. INNER LEAVES
- Changing colour at anthesis => 37
- NOT changing colour at anthesis => 38

37. INNER LEAVES
- White => lactea
- With pink transverse band, Floral bracts red with brown scales.Petals blue barely opening. => lymaniana

38. FLORAL BRACTS
- Red with pale scales. Leaves with dark red tip. Petals reddish => fosteriana
- Purple. Petals white. => marceloi

39. INNER LEAVES
- Colouring at OR before anthesis => 40
- NOT clearly colouring => 57

40. INNER LEAVES
- Colouring reddish => 41
- Colouring OTHER than red => 52

41. LEAF UNDERSIDE
- Conspicuous grey scaled => 42
- NOT conspicuous scaled => 46

42. FLORAL BRACTS
- With toothed edges. Petals dark blue towards tip => pineliana
- With smooth edges => 43

43. SEPALS
- 35-38mm long, Pedicels 25-30mm => 44
- 24-27 mm long, Pedicels 5-10 mm => 25

44. LEAVES
- Fine red-purple spots on green Sepals to 35 mm long. Pedicels to 25 mm long, petals lavender-blue tipped => magdalenae - (NOTE: var teresae has smaller inflorescence and shorter sepals and pedicels.)
- Wholly green (except for inner ones RED at anthesis ) Sepals 38 mm long. Pedicels30 mm. long => macrosepala

45. FLORAL BRACTS
- Red, Sepals red => princeps
- Green Sepals green => farinosa

46. LEAF TIP
- Narrowing to a point => olens
- Rounded => 47

47. FLORAL BRACTS
- Short, equalling the ovary. Leaf blade with red tip, leaf sheath dark purple, petals 23 mm long, blue => indecora
- Long, exceeding the ovary => 48

48. INNER LEAVES
- Totally RED at flowering, ALL Blades with strong spines. => 49
- Red banded at flowering => 51
- Red with small white spots or blotches => burle-marxii - (Note. Leaves 20-30 cm long, 2.5-3 cm wide = ss. meeana)

49. FLORAL BRACTS
- About equalling the sepals => 50
- Exceeding the Ovary BUT shorter than Sepals => eltoniana

50. LEAVES
- Green with strong teeth to 1 mm long => carolinae
- Green with dark purple splashes or spots. With strong black teeth to 4mm long => concentrica

51. LEAVES
- Over 32 cm. long, 55mm wide, remaining more or less upright on flowering => macwilliamsii
- 28-30 cm long, densely spined, Floral bract blunt, Sepals connate for 4 mm => sanguinea
- To 26 cm long, 32 mm wide, flattening at flowering => compacta
- To 34 cm long, 40 mm wide, purplish spotted with red tips => camorimiana

52. LEAF BLADES
- With strong BLACK teeth to 4mm long Inner leaves purple at anthesis. Pedicels 10-18 mm. Sepals sub free => concentrica
- With small teeth or few small teeth. Inner leaves purple or dark violet => 53

53. SEPALS
- Hooked => 54
- NOT Hooked => 55

54. SCAPE
- Almost double length of Inflorescence, Outer bracts equalling height of sepals, Sepals scaled on inside. => coimbrae
- Same length as Inflorescence => smithii

55. SEPALS
- Slightly asymmetric, long acuminate or long attenuate => 56
- Strongly asymmetric, broadly rounded, Centre leaves purple => angustifolia

56. SEPALS
- Joined for long way. Pedicels 8- 10 mm Centre leaves dark violet => coriacea
- Almost free. Pedicels 10 - 18 mm.Centre leaves purple => concentrica
- Almost free. Pedicels to 5mm.Centre leaves purple => atroviridifolia

57. LEAF SHEATHS
- Forming a tube => 58
- Forming an open funnel shape not constricted at apex => 67

58. LEAF TIPS
- Narrowing to a point => 59
- Rounded => 60

59. LEAF BLADES
- NOT lepidote, yellowish- green, often with reddish transverse bands on outside => wilsoniana
- Sparsely lepidote with straight edges with 1 mm black teeth and with fine regular white cross lines on outside, leaf sheaths dark purple on the outside. => pauciflora

60. LEAF BLADES
- Spotted or banded => 63
- NOT spotted => 61

61. PEDICELS
- Short to 5 mm long to 20 mm long, stolons long & slender, Juvenile offsets with narrow triangular leaves becoming wider and rounded at maturity => abendrothae
- 27-35 mm long, stolons long, leaves with blunt keel at base => carinata

62. LEAF BLADES
- 25mm wide, sepals with broad tip, stolons long and slender => hoehneana
- 10-l5mm wide, sepals with pointed tip, stolons long and slender, => dungsiana

63. LEAF SHEATH
- Paler spots than leaf blade => chlorosticta
- Darker spots or bands than leaf blade => 64
- Darker than blade, olive to brownish red in colour, faint banding, Petals white with three green longitudinal lines => amandae
- Similar to blade, being green with large dark reddish spots. Petals white with dark purple apex => guttata

64. PETALS
- 42 mm long, leaf blades 4cm wide => punctatissima
- 20-24 mm long => 65

65. LEAF BLADES
- To 17 mm wide => 66
- To 45 mm wide, purplish green with brown spots => rubrifolia

66. LEAF BLADES
- Green with red to purple to black broken bands. leaf sheaths forming a tight tube. Flowers mainly within leaf tube => ampullacea
- As above but leaves only 5cm long, flowers well EXCEED leaf tube. => lilliputiana
- Yellow green with brown broken bands, leaf sheaths forming an open funnel => tigrina

67. PLANT
- Small, leaves mainly 18- 35 cm long, Blades10 - 40 mm wide, flower short , to 45 mm long, Sepals 11- 18 mm long => 68
- Large, leaves mainly 15-90 cm long, Blades 20- 100 mm wide, flower long to 70 mm, Sepals19-40 mm long => 82

68. LEAF BLADES
- To 4 cm wide, reddish colour, petals to 4 cm long white with lilac apex => crispata
- To 3 cm or LESS => 69

69. LEAF BLADES
- Densely appressed lepidote => 70
- NOT densely appressed lepidote => 74

70. LEAF BLADES
- With blunt end caused by tip SHARPLY bending over, Sepals strongly asymmetric => leprosa
- With longitudinal creases next to sheath => zaslawskyi
- Inner ones rounded and coming to a tip. => 71

71. SEPALS
- Reddish purple, gradually coming to a tip asymmetric => tristis
- NOT reddish purple => 72

72. FLORAL BRACTS
- ONLY 2 mm wide, glabrous => angustibracteata
- 2-7mm wide, glabrescent, leaves with dark purple spots both sides => guttata
- at least 5 mm wide, scaled => 73

73. SEPALS
- Almost symmetrical and coming to a point => fluminensis
- STRONGLY asymmetrical and blunt at the tip, floral bracts equalling 0.75 of the sepal => simulans
- STRONGLY asymmetrical and coming to a point floral bracts as long as sepals => martinelii

74. LEAF BLADES
- With different coloured sides and sparsely lepidote beneath => 75
- Same colour and almost glabrous both sides => 78
- Purplish- red spotted in bottom half. Petal blades Blue => lillyae

75. LEAF BLADES
- Finely spotted => maculata
- NOT spotted => 76

76. LEAF BLADES
- Shorter than sheath, purple tinged, sepals rounded at tip. => doeringiana
- Mostly shorter than sheath, sepals with sharp tip => roethii
- Longer than sheath => 77

77. LEAF BLADES
- 10-20 mm wide, few teeth => cyanea
- 20-32 mm wide, STRONG teeth,red spot at tip. => sarmentosa

78. SEPALS
- Narrowing to a tip => 79
- With rounded tip => 81

79. LEAVES
- 40-50 cm long, blades to 40 mm wide, pedicels 20 mm => macahensis
- 30-40 cm long, blades lustrous, 40 mm wide , pedicels 25 mm long. => petropolitana
- 5 cm long, 24 mm wide purple spotted, pedicels to 7 mm, petals violet => lilliputiana

80. NOT USED

81. PEDICELS
- To 3 mm long, ovary club shaped, petals white. => laevis
- To 10 mm long, ovary elliptical, petals blue => brevifolia
- To 20mm long, ovary elliptical, petals white with lilac tip => ruschii

82. LEAF SHEATHS
- Spotted light or dark => 83
- Same colour or banded NOT spotted => 84

83. LEAVES
- Red spotted, red tipped with stout BLACK terminal spine, floral bracts and sepals white, petals WHITE => johannis
- Same colour with purple spots, red tipped with inconspicuous spine, leaf sheaths dark with pale green blotches, pedicels 15 mm sepals green. => marmorata
- Red tipped, leaf sheaths purple and green spotted, pedicels 3 cm, sepals green => correia-araujoi

84. INFLORESCENCE
- Few flowered (to 25) to 3 cm diam => 85
- Many flowered, over 5 cm diam => 93

85. STOLONS
- Long 30-40 cm => sapiatibensis
- Short => 86

86. LEAF BLADES
- 2 to 3 times as long as sheath => 87
- Less than 2 times as long as sheaths => 88

87. LEAF BLADES
- With irregular bands both sides => zonata
- Green with wine-purple leaf sheath => pontuali

88. LEAF BLADES
- 50 mm wide, blunt at tip, (Bent over) => 89
- 20-35mm wide, rounded and pointed at tip. => 91

89. LEAF BLADES
- With few dark spots and with black teeth 1.5 mm long, pedicels 20mm long => melandonta
- Top side green but eddish towards apex, flowers scented => odorata
- Same colour green, almost no teeth => 90

90. SEPALS
- 9mm wide, asymmetric with wide membranous edges, middle section scaled. => schubertii
- 5mm wide, almost symmetric, glabrous. => kuhlmannii

91. FLORAL BRACTS
- Glabrous. => 92
- With tenuous fimbriate scales both sides => capixaba

92. SEPALS
- To 40 mm long, joined for 7mm => paulistana
- 23mm long, joined for 1.5mm. => oligantha

93. LEAVES
- Coloured spot at tip. => 94
- No spot at tip => 97

94. LEAVES
- Underside transverse lined lepidote. => 98
- Underside scattered lepidote => 96

95. FLORAL BRACTS
- Shorter than sepals, pedicels l5mm long. => richteri
- Equalling sepals, pedicels 4-6mm long. => spectabilis

96. LEAVES
- Tip with dark green spot. => binotii
- Tip with red spot, medium sized plant, blades with NO spines => gavionensis
- Tip with red spot, medium to large plant, blades with red spines. => cruenta

97. LEAVES
- With dull look => 98
- Almost glabrous. => 99

98. LEAF BLADES
- 90 mm wide, petals white => pascoaliana
- 40 mm wide, petals blue tipped. => seideliana

99. LEAF SHEATHS
- Dark brown, leaf blades 30mm wide, with 5mm long spiny tip. => uleana
- Not dark brown. => 100

100. LEAF TEETH
- More than 7mm long, petals white => carcharodon
- Up to 1 mm long, petals violet tipped, leaf blades yellowish green and reddish blotched. => kautskyi