Drawing and translated description supplied by Derek Butcher.
Orthophytum lymanianum Pereira & Penna, Bradea 4:3-4, 7. 1983.
"This species is related to O. sanctum L.B. Smith, but differs in its cylindric spikes, superior primary bracts shorter than the spikes, smaller floral bracts and sepals.
We dedicate this new species to our friend, Prof. Dr. Lyman Smith for his remarkable work on Bromeliaceae.

Plant flowering ca 1m high.
basal leaves ca. 60 cm long;
Sheath narrow triangular ca. 50 mm long, 60 mm wide, glabrous, edges above the base very small serrate;
Blades narrowing gradually topwards the tip, terminating with a spine, ca. 55 cm long, maximum width 3 cm, underneath dense white lepidote, scales very adpressed, membranous, upper side glabrous; margins spined, spines curved upwards, bottom ones 3 mm long and dense, gradually decreasing and becoming further apart towards the tip.
Scape erect 66 cm long, ca. 1 cm diam., at first dense floccose later glabrous, internodes 5 cm long;
Scape bracts leaflike.
Inflorescence a long spike, interrupted, ca 30 cm long;
Primary bracts narrow ovate and long acuminate, margins spined, both sides white scaled, exceeding or equalling the lower spikes, upper ones much shorter than the spikes; Spikes ca 8, cylindrical ca 50 mm long, 25 mm diam., sessile and strobiliform;
Floral bracts ovate, acuminate, 15 mm long, recurved, underneath lepidote, upper side glabrous, margins spined;
Flowers 15 mm long, sessile;
Sepals lanceolate, 10 mm long spinescent, underneath lepidote, upper side glabrous, posterior pair winged keeled, otherwise decurrent with the ovary, anterior ecarinate;
Petals and stamens not present in our specimen;
Ovary complanate, 3 mm long, lepidote; placenta joined to the middle of the locule; ovules obtuse.
Type: State of Bahia, sem local. Fl. cult. em Janeiro 1968. Leg. R. Burlemarx, Holotipo HB; Bahia between Amargosa and Milagres. Leg. Luiz K. Correia de Araujo No 35, Jan. 1974. fl. cult. Jan. 1981.