Vriesia tuerckheimii

Vriesia tuerckheimii (Mez) L. B. Smith, Contr. Gray Herb. 117: 33. 1937.
Tittandsia Tuerckheimii Mez, Symb. Ant. 7: 174. 1912.
Habit of an agave, 2-3 m. high; leaves rosulate, S-10 dm. long; sheaths large but scarcely wider than the blades, brown-punctulate-lepidote on both sides; blades linear, acuminate, 6-12 cm. wide, flat, firm, glabrous above, finely pale-appressed-lepidote beneath; scape erect; inflorescence compound with simple branches; primary bracts ovate, acute or acuminate, much shorter than the sterile bases of the spikes, red, densely brown-punctulate-lepidote; spikes laxly and secundly 20-flowered with an elongate sterile base bearing 1-3 bracts, 55 cm. long; floral bracts broadly ovate, obtuse and slightly cucullate, 7-12 mm. long, much shorter than the sepals, secund with the flowers, ecarinate, coriaceous, faintly nerved, densely brown-punctulate inside ; flowers secund, spreading; pedicels very short and stout; sepals elliptic, narrowly obtuse, 15-20 mm. long, coriaceous, even, glabrous outside, brown-punctulate inside, roseate; petals ligulate with an elliptic blade, 30-35 mm. long, yellow-green when dry, bearing 2 scales near the base; stamens and pistil included; capsule ovate-oblong, raucronate, 25 mm. long.
Type localiiTi': Rio del Medio, near Constanza, Santo Domingo, altitude 1 180 meters.
Distribution: Hispaniola.