Neoregelia diversifolia
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Neoregelia diversifolia

Ian Hook 09/26

Neoregelia diversifolia E. Pereira, Bradea 2 (7): 29, pl. 3, fig. a. 1975
Desc from 'Canistropsis – Broms Atl. Forest' 1998
PLANT rupicolous, propagating by stolons 5-8cm long, 0.5-0.7cm in diameter, covered by narrowly triangular-acuminate cataphylls.
LEAVES ca. 10, subcoriaceous, forming at base a tubular to narrowly ellipsoid rosette, ca. 5cm in diameter, the outer and older ones reduced and narrowly attenuate-acuminate;
SHEATHS elliptic to narrowly ovate, 8-10 x 4.5-7cm, densely brown-lepidote, dark purple inside;
BLADES the inner ones sublinear, slightly if at all narrowed toward base, 9-11 x 2-3.5cm, bearing at base a single, unbroken, V-shaped fold abaxially, subdensely white-lepidote, green to reddish with green spots, suberect, apex obtuse and apiculate, sub densely to densely spinulose, spines 1-1.5mm long;
SCAPE 30-40mm long, 6-8mm in diameter, white, glabrous;
SCAPE BRACTS ovate­lanceolate, acuminate, 20-40 x 10-15mm, entire, membranaceous, white-lepidote to glabrescent, the upper ones involucrate, slightly shorter to slightly exceeding the pedicels.
INFLORESCENCE sub cylindrical, slightly shorter than the leaf-sheaths, 60-70mm long (excluding the petals), 20-25mm in diameter;
FLORAL BRACTS linear-lanceolate, acute, 20-35 x 3-8mm, entire, membranaceous, hyaline-white, glabrescent, slightly exceeding the ovaries.
FLOWERS 6 to 8, ca. 80mm long at anthesis, fragrant, pedicels 10-20mm long, ca. 2mm in diameter, terete, white, glabrous;
SEPALS symmetrical, linear-lanceolate, narrowly acute to acuminate, 34-36 x 5-6mm, connate for 7-10mm, entire, red toward apex, glabrous;
PETALS sublinear-lanceolate, acuminate, 60-70 x 5-6mm, connate for 15-23mm at base, violet toward apex, strongly spirally twisted after anthesis, sometimes bearing inconspicuous, filiform callosities at the apex of the corolla tube;
FILAMENTS adnate to the petal tube and free above it;
ANTHERS linear, ca. 11mm long, dorsifixed to 1/6 of its length above the base, base shortly sagittate, apex apiculate;
STIGMA 5-8mm long, greenish-white, margins minutely crenulate;
OVARY ellipsoid, 9-10mm long, ca. 6mm in diameter, subterete;
epigynous tube very inconspicuous to lacking.
FRUITS unknown.
TYPE: Espirito Santo, Domingos Martins, Pedra Azul, 5 Nov. 1974, R. A. Kautsky 457. Holotype: HB.

ETYMOLOGY
Neoregelia diversifolia has dimorphic leaves - the outer ones are shaped differently from the inner ones, which serves to visually characterize this taxon. The name emphasizes this characteristic through the Latin terms diversus (= "diverse", "in opposite directions") and folium (= "leaf").

MATERIAL EXAMINED
Espirito Santo: Domingos Martins, R. Kautsky s. n. legit, fl. cult. Oct. 1997 (HB, probable clonotype); Pedra Azul, R. A. C. Ramaldes & F. Ramaldes, fl, cult. Oct. 1997, E. Leme 4082 (HB):

DISCUSSION
Neoregelia diversifolia is small in stature and well adapted to the rupicolous habit. When exposed to direct sunlight, the leaves may turn a lovely red hue in contrast to the more commonly observed green color. Neoregelia paulistana is apparently the most closely related species in terms of morphology. However, N. diversifolia differs in its smaller size, stolons bearing imbricate, obtuse to acute, paleaceous cataphylls, that are thin in texture and soon disintegrate, leaves not nervate and petals more shortly connate at base.
N. diversifolia shows an interesting similarity in habit to N. angustibracteolata; the latter is somewhat more delicate and flower details are completely dissonant and typical of the subgenus Neoregelia.

DISTRIBUTION & HABITAT
According to the protologue of N. diversifolia, this species was supposedly collected in Pedra Azul municipality, Minas Gerais. It was actually found in the Pedra Azul region of Espirito Santo, according to its collector (Kautsky, pers. comm.).
As far as we know today, N. diversifolia is restricted to the type locality in Pedra Azul. Here, it is a rupicolous species, growing on rocky outcrops on the edge of the Atlantic forest at ca. 1,200m altitude, in a transition zone with grassy vegetation (high­altitude grasslands). It is protected in the Pedra Azul State Park, and flowers from October to November. There are two distinct clones in cultivation.

Detail from S&D
24. Neoregelia diversifolia E. Pereira, Bradea 2: 29, pl. 3. 1975. Fig 501 A-C.
This new species is related to N. hoehneana, L B. Smith, from which it differs especially in the shape, size and color of the petals and in many other details.
From S&D
Plant propagating by 5mm thick stolons covered with castaneous scales.
Leaves forming a tubular rosette 25cm high;
sheaths of the outer ovate, 6cm long, 4cm wide, of the inner narrowly ovate, 10cm long, 5cm wide, green and castaneous-lepidote outside;
blades of the outer gradually narrowed at apex into a subpungent spine, 12cm long, 15-20mm wide, of the inner linear, subrounded, mucronate, 10cm long, 25-30mm wide, minutely white-lepidote, serrate with castaneous, 1mm long spines 3mm apart.
Scape 3cm long, 8mm thick, white;
basal scape-bracts ovate, acuminate, 15mm long, 10mm wide, entire, white-lepidote;
upper scape-bracts ("primary bracts") oblong, acuminate, 4cm long, 15mm wide, exceeding the ovary, entire, white, lepidote at apex.
Floral bracts unknown;
pedicels 1cm long, white.
Sepals lanceolate, acuminate, 35mm long, connate for 10mm, glabrous, red;
petals 7cm long, high-connate, the limb linear, acute, 55mm long, 5mm wide, spreading at anthesis, the apical half violet;
stamens 3cm long; ovary subtrigonous, 10mm long, 5mm thick; placentae sub­apical; ovules many, obtuse.
Type. Kautsky 457 (holotype, HB), Pedra Azul, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 5 Nov 1974.
Distribution. Known from the type collection only.

Updated 12/10/26