Tillandsia verapazana, R. Ehlers, Die Bromelie 1/1994 p.27-29
A T. lampropoda L. B. Smith foliis viridibus maculatis, minus lepidotis, laminis foliorum brevioribus et late triangularibus, scapo longiori, spica magis complanata, internodiis rhachidis multo longioribus, bracteis florigeris glabris, sepalis longioribus (usque ad 44 mm longis), magis et alato-carinatis, et petalis longioribus angustioribusque, apicibus magis patentibus albis recedit.
Typus: Guatemala prov. Baja Verapaz,16 km ad meridionem pagi Purulha, leg. K. & R. Ehlers, EG922202, 13. 3. 1992 (holotypus:WU).
Plant stemless, an erect bowl shaped rosette, to 30cm high, 25cm diam. flowering to 50 (60 )cm high, leaves numerous, to 25cm long,
Sheath 10cm long, to 5 cm wide, oval, distinct from the blade, arched, nerved, inside black, outside dark purple.
Blade 2cm wide next to sheath, to 15cm long, triangular acuminate, the tip bent outwards, green with black spots and flecks and a black tip, both sides with tiny appressed scales.
Scape as long as the leaves, erect, densely covered with imbricate sheaths of the scape bracts and is not visible.
Scape bracts bottom ones like the inner rosette leaves, with triangular blades bent outwards, the upper ones apiculate and similar to the sterile basal floral bracts.
Inflorescence simple, an erect spike, 15 –20cm long, 3.5-5.5cm wide, narrow elliptic acuminate, complanate, with 7-15 distichous, sessile, densely imbricate, scentless flowers ( rhachis not visible) , internodes ca. 2cm, the base with up to 5 sterile bracts
Flower bracts 3-5.5cm long, to 3.5cm wide, oval acuminate cuspidate, leathery, the outside shiny red, or sometimes the top section of the spike yellow red, glabrous, smooth, inside nerved.
Sepals to 4.4cm long, to8mm wide, lance like acuminate, thin leathery, with sub-hyaline edges, greenish yellow, glabrous, inside nerved, sub-free, the posterior ones wing keeled.
Petal 8cm long, 8mm wide, narrowing to 5mm at base, tongue shaped with a slight bend, forming an erect tube with spreading tips, white, the upper portion often with dark bluish flecks.
Stamens exceed the flower, Filaments 6.5cm long, white, roundish, thickened at the top, becoming flatter and broader at the base. Anther 11mm long, 1mm wide, linear, erect, joined 1 – 2mm from the bottom, light brown, Pollen egg yellow, Style 7cm long, white,
Stigma erect, white, 1.5mm wide, lobes twisted (Type I B&G)
Ovary 8mm high, 3mm wide at base, conical, light green.
Holotype K & R Ehlers EG92202, Guatemala, Baja Verapaz, 16km south of Purulha, 13 Feb 1992, WU
Other collection made in San Salvador, Depto. St. Ana, Mte. Christo-Massiv at 1800 –2400m alt in 1991 by Werner Welz and Bernd Vollmer.
Differs from T. lampropoda in
Leaves green, dark spotted, and sparsely lepidote
Sheath shorter and triangular.
Scape longer.(as long as the rosette)
Spike more strongly complanate.
Flower bracts internodes larger (bracts 2 or 3 times as long as the internodes compared to 8 times)
Flower bracts glabrous
Sepals to 4.4cm long, stronger and wing keeled
Petals longer, narrower, more spreading at tips, white not yellow.
Flowering season 2 months earlier.
Differs from T. nervata in
Leaves much shorter, 25cm against 55cm.
Sheaths distinct and almost black
Spikes longer (20cm compared to 12cm) and wider (5.5cm against 4cm)
Flower bracts longer, with larger internodes, not lepidote, nerved on the inside.
Sepals longer, lancelike.
Petals white against cream.