Orthophytum glabrum
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Orthophytum glabrum

Ian Hook 01/06

Vic Przetocki 02/20

Vic Przetocki 01/24

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Orthophytum glabrum (Mez) Mez, DC. Monogr. Phan. 9: 117. 1896.
Prantleia glabra Mez, Mart. Fl. Bras. 3(3): 258, pl. 58. fig.1. 1891.
Desc from S&D
Plant flowering over 1 m high (?).
Leaves presumably much like the lower scapebracts.
Scape straight, stout, glabrous;
Scape-bracts foliaceous, green and glabrous on both sides, lustrous, rigid, laxly serrate with stout uncinate antrorse spines 8 mm long, the lower suberect, imbricate, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, to 26 cm long, 4 cm wide, flat, rounded at base, the upper spreading, much smaller, broadly ovate, acuminate.
Inflorescence sublaxly bipinnate, glabrous; axis geniculate, angled;
primary bracts spreading or arching-reflexed, like the upper scape-bracts, slightly longer than the spikes;
spikes sessile, globose, many-flowered, 2-3 cm in diameter.
Floral bracts broadly ovate, acuminate, carinate, channeled, serrulate with brown spines, recurved toward apex, at least the outer ones exceeding the flowers;
flowers 15 mm long.
Sepals erect, slightly asymmetric, ovate-triangular, pungent, 10 mm long;
petals ligulate, acute, 12 mm long, bearing 2 reflexed scales one third above the base;
stamens of the second series adnate to the lower third of the petal;
ovary subglobose, 3 mm in diameter, scarcely constricted at apex.
Type. Pohl 3436 (holotype, BR; photo GH), Fazenda Inhumaes, Sao Miguel, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Aug 1820.
Distribution. On slopes, northeastern Minas Gerais, Brazil.
BRAZIL. Minas Gerais. Itaobim, ca 16° 30' S, 41° 30' W, Jan 1965, Duarte 8762 (HB); E. Pereira 9810(HB).

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Updated 16/01/24

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