Pitcairnia huilensis

Betancur & Jimenez-Escobar, sp. nov. Caldasia 37(1): 91-98. 2015

Tipo: COLOMBIA. Huila: municipio Agrado, vereda San Jose de Belen, Serrania del Tigre, antigua finca La Laguna, 2°16’14” Norte.75°40’26” Oeste, 750-800 m alt., 6 nov 2014., N. D. Jimenez-Escobar & K. Benavides 2079 (holotipo COL, isotipos: FMB, HUA, SURCO).

Pitcairnia huilensis is similar to P. lignosa L. B. Sm. but differs from the latter by its greater height (65-160 cm vs. up to 50 cm long); stems not branched (vs. branched);

inflorescence generally branched (vs. always simple) and exhibiting a longer fertile portion (25-60 cm vs. 15-20 cm long), shorter pedicels (<10.5 mm vs. 15-19 mm long); acute-acuminate sepal apices (vs attenuate); shorter petals (< 46 mm vs. 50 mm long); and shorter (< 5.4 mm vs. 7-9 mm long) and translucent (vs. white-yellow) petal appendages.