Tillandsia cauligera
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Tillandsia cauligera
Tillandsia cauligera Mez, Repert. Sp. Nov. 3: 42. 1906.
Desc from S&D p793-4
Plant caulescent; stem simple (?), to at least 6 dm long, 5-7 mm in diameter.
Leaves densely polystichous, 21 cm long, cinereous, densely pruinose-lepidote;
Sheaths 30-45 mm broad, ovate but merging indistinguishably into the blades, half as long as the blades;
Blades suberect or slightly secund, triangular, acuminate, rigid, apex often uncinaterecurved, the margin undulate.
Scape distinct, terminal, erect, 3-25 cm long, from shorter than to much exceeding the leaves;
Scape-bracts numerous, densely imbricate, nerved, densely lepidote, the median and lower ones foliaceous and more or less laminate, the upper ones acute or apiculate and thinner, often bright red.
Inflorescence usually simple and distichous-flowered, occasionally a small second spike;
Primary bract when present shorter than the axillary spike and resembling the scape-bracts;
Spike lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, acute, complanate, 8-9 cm long, densely 10-14-flowered;
Rhachis slightly flexuous, strongly 4-angled, glabrous.
Floral bracts erect, densely imbricate, 3-4 times as long as the internodes, completely concealing the rhachis, ovate, narrowly obtuse, 20-25 mm long, exceeding the sepals, not at all carinate, uniformly chartaceous, reddish, lepidote on the apex and margins, striate; pedicels short.
Sepals elliptic, broadly acute or obtuse, 18 mm long, chartaceous, striate, coarsely and sparsely lepidote, soon glabrous, connate posteriorly for 3 mm, posterior carinate;
Petals 37 mm long, blue drying violet;
Stamens and style included; filaments plicate.
Type. Weberbauer 4050 (holotype B, F photo 11486; G, isotype), Hacienda La Tahona, Hualgayoc, Cajamarca, Peru, 15 May 1904.
DISTRIBUTION. Saxicolous, 2400-3100 m alt, Peru.
PERU. CAJAMARCA, Jesus: Pomabamba, 26 Apr 1966, Sanchez 119 (US). LIBERTAD, Santiago de Chuco: Cerro Santa Monica, 8 Aug 1951, Paredes 1588 (US); Chacomas, Santiago de Chuco to Cachicadan, 9 Jun 1953, Lopez 1006 (TRP, US); Huamachuco: Hacienda Yanazara, 25 Jun 1958, Lopez & Sagastegui 2771 (TRP). JUNIN: Tarma to Palca, 11 Feb 1903, Weberbauer 2415 (B, G); Tarma, Apr 1929, Killip & Smith 21803 (F, GH, NY, US); 5 Ju1 1966, Edwin & Schunke 3915 (F, US); Oroya, Aug 1956, Rauh P-137 (US); P-137-A (US). HUANCAVELICA: Izcuchaca to Mejorada, 2 Nov 1963, Tovar 4474 (US, USM). Cuzco: Ollantaytambo, May 1915, Cook & Gilbert 568 (US); 785 (US). Cuzco, Ju11923, Herrera s n (US); Vilcanota, Calca, Dec 1936, Vargas 237 (GH).
LOCAL NAMES. Oquenhuecontoy (Cook & Gilbert 568), Salvajina (Cook & Gilbert 785).
Updated 16/07/23