Tillandsia araujei Mez
var. minima Pereira & Penna n. var.
Differs from the typical variety by being
smaller in all parts.
Typus - Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro city,
Pedra da Gávea, collected by Ivo de
Azevedo Penna s.n., on the 3rd February 1980. Holotypus at Herbarium
Bradeanum, HB nº 70.661.
Comments : The short and little curved leaves of this
plant, without other details that could
let it be considered as a separate species, made us decide to describe it as a
new variety of Tillandsia
araujei Mez.
Published - in Bradea , Herbarium Bradeanum’s bulletin,
volume III, nº 12, 20th October 1980, Pg. 90, photo nº VII, Pg. 100
.
Complementary comments - This plant was collected on the
seaward base of Pedra da Gávea, on the
smooth side of the rock, in small clusters of about 15 plants, near the
“normal” Tillandsia araujei clusters,
a fact that attracted our attention.
Some of these plants are, at the present time (2001), in cultivation at
Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro State, flowering periodically and maintaining the
original features, beside the “normal” T.
araujei . We are adding color
photos.