Tillandsia oerstediana Click thumbnails for full size, scaled to a new window.
Tillandsia oerstediana
Bruce Dunstan 03/13. Just starting to flower.
Bruce Dunstan 07/23
Tillandsia oerstediana L. B. Smith, Phytologia 13: 141, pl. 6, fig. 5. 1966. Tillandsia paniculata Chamisso & Schlechtendal var. costaricensis Mez, DC;. Monogr. Phan. 9: 703. 1896. Tillandsia rubra Ruiz & Pavon var. costaricensis (Mez) Mez, Pflanzenreich 4, Fam. 32: 458. 1935. Tillandsia deppeana Steudel var. costaricensis (Mez) L. B. Smith, Phytologia 5: 395. 1956.
Desc from S&D p754 Plant flowering 6-15 dm high. Leaves rosulate, many, 4-8dm long, bicolorous, covered beneath with persistent appressed cinereous scales; Sheaths subelliptic, large, mostly pale; Blades subligulate, attenuate, to 4 cm wide. Scape erect; Scape-bracts erect, subfoliaceous, densely imbricate. Inflorescence laxly bipinnate; Primary bracts exceeding the sterile mostly bracteate bases of the branches, broadly ovate; Spikes spreading, lanceoblong, acute, complanate, ca 9 cm long (fertile) and 3 cm wide. Floral bracts imbricate and concealing the rhachis at anthesis, 3 cm long, exceeding the sepals, coriaceous, even, glabrous, carinate; Flowers subsessile. Sepals lanceolate, acute, 25 mm long, carinate, the posterior very short-connate. Petals blue (from photos) Type. Oersted s n (holotype C, US photo), "Oriri" (Orosi), Cartago, Costa Rica. DISTRIBUTION. Epiphytic in forest, 1140-1200 m alt, Costa Rica, Panama.
COSTA RICA. PUNTARENAS: Sabalito, 10 Mar 1966, L. B. Smith et al 15320 (US). CARTAGO: Near Cartago, Werckle s n (GH); 17 Dec 1948, Foster 2695 (US), Without exact locality: Lankester 1526 (GH); Echeverria 221 (GH). PANAMA. CHIRIQUI: Boquete, Jun 1938, Davidson 825 (F).
