Tillandsia standleyi L. B. Sm.

Tillandsia standleyi L. B. Smith, Contr Gray Herb. 95 : 46. 1931.
Stemless, 1 m. long if the inflorescence is erected; leaves erect, rosulate, 40 cm. long, covered throughout with minute closely appressed scales; sheaths elliptic, 10 cm. long, 4.5 cm. wide, dark-purple with small light spots; blades narrowly triangular, 15 mm. wide at the base, pale; scape dccurved, shorter than the leaves, wholly covered by its foliaceous bracts; inflorescence laxly bipinnate, pendulous; axis slender, slightly flexuous, glabrous; primary bracts very large, spreading, three to four times as long as the axillary spikes, lanceolate, acuminate, 26 cm. long, 2 cm. wide, enfolding the spikes, brilliant-red; spikes lanceolate, strongly compressed, stipitatc,
6 cm. long, 2 cm. broad, densely 8-flowered, pale-green; rhachis strongly compressed, angled; floral bracts narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, concealing the rhachis, equaling the sepals, up to 35 mm. long but often much shorter, much impressed on the lower half of the back, even or slightly nerved toward apex, glabrous; sepals narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, strongly carinate, free, even, glabrous; capsule acute, shorter than the sepals.
Type locality: El Achote, Comayagua, Honduras, altitude 1500 meters. DisTBiBunoN: Known only from the type locality.