Desc from S&D p914-6
Plant stemless, 20-55 cm high.
Leaves many in a dense fasciculate rosette, often exceeding the inflorescence, densely and minutely appressed-lepidote throughout;
Sheaths narrowly subtriangular, conspicuous, castaneous or ferruginous;
Blades linear-subulate, green.
Scape erect or ascending, usually slender;
Scape-bracts erect, densely imbricate, the lower foliaceous, the upper subelliptic, filiform-laminate, chartaceous, often bright-red.
Inflorescence bipinnate, densely digitate, subellipsoid or broadly pyramidal after anthesis, to 17 cm long;
Primary bracts like the upper scape-bracts but the higher ones not laminate, at least their sheaths much shorter than the axillary branches;
Spiciform racemes arching-recurved especially after anthesis, linear in outline, 3-9 cm long, complanate;
Rhachis slender, often strongly flexuous.
Floral bracts erect, barely imbricate, lance-ovate, acute, 17-22 mm long, exceeding the sepals, slightly more than twice as long as the internodes, carinate and often incurved toward apex, subcoriaceous, prominently nerved in most specimens, pale-appressed-lepidote to glabrous, green or red;
Flowers subsessile.
Sepals lanceolate, acute or obtuse, to 17 mm long, coriaceous, glabrous or sparsely lepidote, carinate and connate posteriorly for 6-8 mm;
Petals tubular-erect, linear, 25-30 mm long, purple;
Stamens and pistil exserted.
Capsule slenderly cylindric, acute, 25-30 mm long.
Type. Brongniart in Paris Hortus s n (holotype P, GH photo), Mexico (?).
DISTRIBUTION. Epiphytic in forest, 25-1000 m alt, Florida (according to Mez but not verified), Greater Antilles, Mexico, Central America. There is a specimen purporting to come from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, but the label proves to have been falsified. MEXICO.
TAMAULIPAS: San Vicente, Sep 1926, Reiche 246 (M). VERA CRUZ: Mirador, Jan 1842, Liebmann 14547 (C, US, isotypes?); 1 Jun 1959, Van Hyning 5975 (US); Motzorongo, Cordova, Feb 1889, Maury 5594 (GH): Zacuapan, Apr 1913, Purpus 6344 (F, GH, NY, UC, US); May 1913, 6418 e p (GH, UC, US); Feb 1919, 8233 (UC); Mar 1936, 16706 (US). TABASCO: Tenosique, Oct 1892, Beristain 8022 (GH); Reforma, Balancan, May 1939, Matuda 3144 (GH); Aleman, Cardenas, 10 May 1963, Barlow 26/23 (LSU, US). CHIAPAS: San Quintin, Laguna Miramar, 21 Mar 1955, Sohns 1674 (US). GUATEMALA. PETEN: Uaxactun, 20 Mar 1931, Bartlett 12144 (MICH); La Libertad, Apr 1933, Lundell 2449 (GH); 2562 (MICH); 2588 (GH); 2907 (GH, MICH, US); 3928 (MICH); 16 Mar 1934, Aguilar 351 (MICH); Rio Santa Monica, Cedral to Ceibal, 29 Apr 1942, Steyermark 46050 (F, GH); Tikal, Jan-Feb 1959, Lundell 15285 (LL, US); 15311 (LL, US); 15577 (LL, US); Jan 1960, Contreras 504 (LL); Feb 1960, 644 (LL, US); Lundell 16588 (LL, US); Mar 1960, 16755 (LL); Poptun, 13 Ju11959, Lundell 16438 (LL, US). ALTA VERAPAZ: Lanquin, 21 Feb 1942, Steyermark 44035 (F, GH); 44126 (F, GH); Cubilguitz, Mar 1942, Steyermark 44478 (F, GH); 45028 (F, GH). IZABAL: Bananera, Montana del Mico, 28 Mar 1940, Steyermark 38166 (F). BRITISH HONDURAS. EL CAYO: Mountain Pine Ridge, 3 Mar 1931, Bartlett 11901 (MICH); El Cayo, Mar 1931, Bartlett 11971 (GH); Valentin, 1936, Lundell 6376 (GH, MICH, US); Humming Bird Highway, 22 Feb 1956, Gentle 9032 (LL); Belize-Cayo Road 41 mile, 17 Mar 1958, Gentle 9676 (LL). BELIZE: Big Fall, Belize River, 21 Mar 1933, Lundell 3958 (GH). TOLEDO: Columbia, 22 Feb 1948, Gentle 6435 (LL, US): 17 Mar 1951, 7239 (LL). HONDURAS. CORTES: Agua Azul, 27 Dec 1946, Williams & Molina 11319 (EAP, US). COMAYAGUA: Cortes, Lago Yojoa, Yuncker 4899 (MICH); Siguatepeque to San Pedro Sula, 22 Jul 1964, Gilmartin 1004 (US). ATLANTIDA: Tela, Lancetilla Valley, Dec 1927-Mar 1928, Standley 52732 (GH, US); 53193 (GH, US); 53348 (US); 54582 (GH, US); 54609 (US); 55302 (GH, US); 55434 (GH, US); 56853 (US); La Ceiba, 1938, Yuncker, Koepper & Wagner 8504 (GH); 8731 (GH); Mount Cangrejal, Rio Danto, 1938, Yuncker, Koepper & Wagner 8779 (GH, US). PARAISO: Danli, Montana Apauhis, 15 Mar 1956, Molina 7443 (EAP, US). NICARAGUA. GRACIAS A DIOS: 1923, Schramm s n (US). ZELAYA: El Muelle de Los Bueyes, 6 Apr 1961,Bunting & Licht 1047 (US). MATAGALPA: San Ramon, 1963, Heller 5978 (F). CHONTALES: Monte Aragua, Friedrichsthal 836 (W, F photo 29979). COSTA RICA. GUANACASTE: El Arenal, Jan 1926, Standley & Valerio 45131 (US); Naranjos Agrios, 29 Jan 1926, Standley & Valerio 46419 (US). LIMON: La Colombiana Farm of United Fruit Company, Mar 1924, Standley 36781 (US); 36878 (US); Guapiles, Mar 1924, Standley 37517 (US); Cairo, Feb 1926, Standley & Valerio 48965 (US); Hamburg Farm, 31 Mar 1930, Dodge & Nevermann 7865 (GH). HEREDIA: Puerto Viejo, Sarapiqui, 19 Feb 1965, Jimenez 2916 (F, US). CARTAGO: Tucurrique, Mar 1899, Tonduz 13296 (G-B); Turrialba, Apr 1906, Maxon 166 (NY); Estrella Valley, 4 Jan 1925, Aifaros n (US); Pejivalle, Feb 1926, Standley & Valerio 47292 (US); Tuis, 3 May 1956, Williams 19561 (EAP, US); Atirro, 5 May 1956, Williams 19604 (EAP). PANAMA. BOCAS DEL TORO: Pumpkin River, Chiriqui Lagoon, 28 Ju11941, Wedell 2563 (GH, US). DARIEN: Tucuti, 7° 42' N, 77° 51' W, 26 Jul 1962, Duke 5247 (MO, US). CUBA. ISLA DE PINOS: San Juan, Mar 1916, Britton & Wilson 15535 (NY, US); Majagua, Columbia, Mar 1916, Britton & Wilson 15725 (NY, US); Santa Barbara to Mina de Oro, 6 Apr 1954, Killip 43869 (US). PINAR DEL RIO: El Guama, 15 Mar 1900, Palmer & Riley 324 (US); La Guira, 7 Ju11938, Carabia 50 (LS). LAS VILLAS: Soledad, Cienfuegos, 5 Feb 1930, Jack 7719 (BH, GH); Topes de Collantes, 29 Ju1 1938, Leon 96 (LS); 8 Apr 1940, Acuna 11117 (F, SV, US); Mina Carlota, Cumanayagua, JuI 1941, Howard 5718 (GH, US). ORIENTE: 1856-57, Wright 684 (GH, NY, US); Rio Piloto, Sierra de Nipe, 4 Nov 1914, Ekman 3357 (GH, S); Arroyo Bibano to Rio Bayate, 16 Feb 1915, Ekman 4647 (S); Sierra de Moa, Jul 1941, Howard 5956 (GH); Mayari. Sierra de Crista1, Apr 1956, Alain 5757 (LS). JAMAICA. MIDDLESEX, St. Ann: Green Park, 31 Jan 1954, Lewis s n (IJ, US); Lydford, 2 Jul 1955, Howard & Proctor 14276 (IJ, US). CORNWALL, Manchester: Balaclava, 3 Mar 1917 . Perkins 1439 (GH). PARISH (?): Lindon Vale, 16 Apr 1850, Prior s n (K); Hopeton, 16 Feb 1898, Harris in Fl. Jam. 7049 (US). REPUBLICA DOMINICANA. Nigua, Sep 1921, Faris 619 (US); Los Alcarrizos, 22 Jan 1929, Ekman 11293 (US); El Manielito, Llano Costero, 22 Jan 1929, Ekman H-11293 (S); Los Haitises, Samana, 24 Jun 1930, Ekman H-15409 (S); 19 Mar 1969, Liogier 14479 (NY, US); Sanchez, Samana, 15 Aug 1930. Ekman H-15941 (GH, S); San Jose de las Matas, Santiago, 19 Jun 1933, Valeur 934 (US); Sabana de Santa Rosa, Santo Domingo, 5 Oct 194 7, Allard 15858 (US); Piedra Blanca, La Vega, 17 Dec 1947 , Allard 18036 (US); La Leonor, 6 Apr 1955, Jimenez, Gonzalez & Marcano 2880 (US); 2881 (US); Rio San Juan, Samana, 10 May 1957, Jimenez 3486 (US); Polo, Barahona, 9 Apr 1963, Jimenez 4629 (US). PUERTO RICO. Cayey, 16 Oct 1885, Sintenis 2044 (K, US); 21 Oct 1885, 2170 (K); Maricao, 19 Apr 1935, Sargent 454 (US).

detail from Mez 1935
21. T. caricifolia Morr. ap. Mez in DC. Monogr. Phaner. IX. (1896) 672.
Florifera ad 0.4m alta, subcaespitosa. Folia densissime fasciculata, perlonge filiformia, basin versus umbrino-lepidota cet. subglabra viridia, ad 0.4m longa et 3mm lata. Scapus gracilis, suberectus, foliis brevior, dense vaginis membranaceis, glabris, lanceolatis, internodia longe superantibus, apice in laminas longas, filiformes, inflorescentiam subaequantes productis involutus. Inflorescentia submultiflora, densiuscula, 2-pinnatim panniculata, ad 90mm longa et 60mm diam, metiens; bracteis primariis vaginis scapalibus isomorphis sed brevius laminatis, inferioribus saltem ramulos axillares aequantibus vel superantibus; spicis erectis, pauci- (usque ad 4-)floris, longiuscule stipitatis, subpinnatis, abbreviatis; bracteis florigeris vix imbricatis, ad 10mm distantibus, submembranaceis, haud vel vix carinatis, dorso glabris et valde prominenti-venosis, elliptico-lanceolatis, acutis, sepala exacte aequantibus. Flores suberecti; sepalis submembranaceis, posticis binis inter sese ad 2.5mm, cum antico via ad 1mm connatis, dorso glabris et valde prominenti-venosis, lanceolatis, peracutis, ad 17mm longis. Petala violacea, tubulose erecta, quam stamina satis breviora.

Mexico: bei Mirador (Liebmann n. 49), zwischen Veracruz und Cordoba (Karwinsky). Guatemala: Dept. Chontales, am Berge Aragua (Friedrichsthal n. 836).