VOLKAMERIA 



VOLKAMERI A Consult Clerodendron. 



VKIESIA (named for Dr. W. de Vriese, of Amster- 

 dam). Bromelidcece. Often spelled Vriesea, but not so 

 spelled by Lindley, who founded the genus. According 

 to Mez (DC. Monogr. Phaner. 9), 84 species are to be 

 referred to this genus. They are very like tillandsias, 

 with which they are united by Bentham & Hooker and 

 others. The chief technical difference is the presence 

 in Vriesia of 2 ligules or a single cleft or emarginate 

 ligule on the inside of the base of petals. Culturally 

 Vriesias are like tillandsias. They run to forms with 

 marbled and banded leaves. They are tropical Ameri- 

 can stiff-leaved plants, with mostly distichous spikes 

 bearing large and showy bracts. Several species have 

 been introduced in recent years, and many 

 garden hybrids have been produced. Few 

 kinds are offered in the American trade, and 

 only these kinds are described here. For 

 other kinds, see the monographs of Baker 

 and Mez; also the Kew List of introductions 

 for 187G-1896. For culture, see Tillandsia. 



A. Stamens longer than the petals. 

 B. Inflorescence branched. 



Saunrtersii, Morr. (Tilldndsia Saundersii, C Koch. 

 Enchollrion Saimdersii, Andre 1 ). About 1% ft. high 

 when in bloom : lvs. many in a rosette, rather short, 

 strongly recurving, grayish and somewhat white-dotted 

 above, spotted with red-brown beneath: fls. in a 

 branched open inflorescence, sulfur-yellow, cylindrical 

 inform. Brazil. I. H. 20:132. 



bb. Inflorescence simple, 

 c. Bracts of inflorescence strongly imbricate. 



splendens. Lem. ( V. specidsa, Hook. Tilldndsia 

 spUndens, Brongn. T. picta, Hort. T. zebr\na, Hort., 

 in part). Fig. 2706. Strong-growing plant, with broad, 

 strong, arching-ascending lvs. 1 ft. or more long, which 

 are bright green and marked with dark brown trans- 

 verse bands: spike with densely imbricated bright red- 

 acuminate bracts, the scape spotted: fls. exserted, yel- 

 lowish white. Guiana. B.M. 4382. F.S. 2:107; 6, p. 162. 

 R.H. 1846:41. — One of the best and most showy species. 

 A robust form is var. major, Hort. — See Supplementary 

 List below for additional note on V. zebrina. 



cannata, Wawra ( V. brachystachys, Regel. Tilldnd- 

 sia carinata. Baker). Fig. 2707. Lvs. rosulate, about 

 6 in. long, the base sheathing, mucronate at the tip, 



VRIESIA 



1957 



Bracts of infloresc 



mote, not imbricate. 

 guttata, Lind. & Andre 1 (Tilldndsia guttata, Baker), 

 Lvs. rosulate, erect-arching, short and rather broad, 

 mucronate, olive-green with irregular spots of brown- 

 purple: bracts farinose, rose-colored, the scape slender: 

 fls. yellow. Brazil. I.H. 22:200. 





somewhat glaucous, not spotted: spike with wide- 

 spreading nearly divaricate acuminate bracts which are 

 scarlet at the base and yellowish green at the end: fls. 

 protruding, pale yellow. Brazil. B.M. 6014. 



2706. Vrie: 



psittacina, Lindl. (Tilldndsia psittac)na, Hook.). 

 About 1 ft. high when in bloom: lvs. rosulate, 6-10 in. 

 long, dilated at the base, yellowish green: fls. large, 

 yellow with green tips, scattered on a distichous spike, 

 the bracts red at the base and vellow at the top. Brazil, 

 B.R. 29:10, where the genus'is founded. B.M. 2841. 

 R.H. 1855:221.— A showy species when in bloom. 



aa. Stamens shorter than the petals. 

 B. Lvs. not barred, mottled or tessellated. 



heliconioides, Lindl. ( V. billula, Hort. Tilldndsia 

 heliconioides, HBK.). Dwarf and tufted, with many 

 rosulate recurving or arching lanceolate lvs. (about 12 

 in. long), which are bright green above and purple 

 tinged beneath. Scape overtopping the 

 foliage, simple and erect, with wide-spread- 

 ing distichous boat-shaped bracts that are 

 light red at the base and greenish at the 

 tip, showy : fls. white. Colombia. I. H. 

 30:490. G.C. 11. 21:140. 



bb. Lvs. tessellated (marked in small 

 checker-work ) or minutely variegated. 



tessellata, Morr. ( Tilldndsia tesselldta, 

 Lind.). Lvs. short and rather broad, rosu- 

 late, dilated at base, short-pointed, rather 

 stiff, channeled, tessellated with green and 

 yellow: inflorescence paniculate, the green- 

 ish bracts remote: fls. vellow. Bra- 

 zil. I.H. 21:179. R.H. 1889, p. 

 573. 



fenestralis, Lind. & Andre 1 (Til- 

 ldndsia fenestrdlis, Hook. f.). 

 Robust, densely tufted, the lvs. 

 stout ( 1-2 ft. long) and recurved, 

 brown-tipped, with many dark green veins and cross 

 veins: inflorescence a simple stout spike 1% ft. long 

 and bearing green-spotted bracts : fls. pale yellow. 

 Brazil. B.M. 6898. I.H. 22:21?,. 



