Vriesea

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Vriesea

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<<<Flowers>Petals>Ligula>Ligula number

21
1. 004-002-002-001

<<<Fruits>Seeds>Coma>Colour

white in Guianan species2
2. 005-001-002-001

<<Flowers>Petals>Growth form

firm and erect or soon flaccid and drooping3
3. 004-002-003

<<Flowers>Petals>Ligula

bearing ligules at the base (not always, see below)4
4. 004-002-002

<<Flowers>Petals>Shape

free or connate in a tube much shorter than the sepals5
5. 004-002-001

<<Flowers>Sepals>Shape

symmetric or subsymmetric6
6. 004-001-001

<<Fruits>Seeds>Coma

with a long straight basal coma ()7
7. 005-001-002

<<Fruits>Seeds>Shape

fusiform8
8. 005-001-001

<<Leaves>Blade>Hairs

inconspicuously lepidote9
9. 002-001-002

<<Leaves>Blade>Shape

predominantly ligulate10
10. 002-001-001

<<Leaves>Leaves>Shape

centrally symmetric11
11. 002-002-001

<Flowers>Ovary

ovary nearly or quite superior;12
12. 004-004

<Flowers>Ovules

ovules many, usually caudate.13
13. 004-005

<Flowers>Petals

petals , , ;14
14. 004-002

<Flowers>Sepals

sepals convolute, free or nearly so, ;15
15. 004-001

<Flowers>Stamens

stamens included or exserted;16
16. 004-003

<Fruits>Seeds

seeds .17
17. 005-001

<Inflorescences>Floral bracts

floral bracts generally ample.18
18. 003-003

<Inflorescences>Scapes

scape usually conspicuous;19
19. 003-002

<Inflorescences>Spikes

usually of distichous-flowered spikes, rarely of one- or more polystichous-flowered spikes20
20. 003-001

<Leaves>Blade

blades and ;21
21. 002-001

<Leaves>Leaves

leaf scales .22
22. 002-002

Citation

Lindley 1959 – In: Taxon. p 232
Andre 1903 – In: Bull. Herb. Boiss. p 131

Description

Acaulescent and usually epiphytic herbs. Leaves rosulate, entire; blades predominantly ligulate and inconspicuously lepidote; leaf scales centrally symmetric. Inflorescence various, usually of distichous-flowered spikes, rarely of one- or more polystichous-flowered spikes; scape usually conspicuous; floral bracts generally ample. Flowers perfect, mostly short-pedicellate, becoming secund in many species; sepals convolute, free or nearly so, symmetric or subsymmetric; petals free or connate in a tube much shorter than the sepals, bearing 2 ligules at the base (not always, see below), firm and erect or soon flaccid and drooping; stamens included or exserted; ovary nearly or quite superior; ovules many, usually caudate. Fruit capsular, seeds fusiformwith a long straight basal coma (white in Guianan species).

Flowers

Flowers perfect, mostly short-pedicellate, becoming secund in many species;23
23. 004

Fruits

Fruit capsular,24
24. 005

Habit

Acaulescent and usually epiphytic herbs.25
25. 001

Inflorescences

Inflorescence various, ;26
26. 003

Leaves

Leaves rosulate, entire;27
27. 002

Notes

Vriesea differs from Tillandsia by bearing 2 ligules at the base of the petal-claw. These ligules are often reduced and very difficult to find, even present or absent within one species (at least in 2 species recorded for the Guianas: Vriesea incurva and Vriesea duidae). This makes the distinction of Vriesea highly artificial, but it is not recommended to put Vriesea simply into synonymy of Tillandsia. More study of the flowers is needed to distinguish more natural groups (genera) within the Tillandsia-Vriesea complex.
KEY: For practical reasons, pointed out before, the species of Vriesea and Tillandsia are combined in one key (see under Tillandsia).