Sunburst Bromeliads - The Rosetted Orthophytums

[XYZ]

Some of the most striking terrestrial bromeliads are the Orthophytum spp. in the group with sessile-inflorescences from the wild plateaus and foothills of the Chapada Diamantina in Bahia, Brazil. There, they are known as "Raio de Sol" or "Sun Ray" bromeliads. In 2010, Rafael Louzada and Maria da Gracas Lapa Wanderley published a monograph in "Phytotaxa" on this group of plants that provided a detailed, well-illustrated description and key to 13 species. Subsequently, an additional two species have been described, and it appears that at least another pair of valid species remain undescribed. Of the 15+ species currently accepted, about 10 are in cultivation outside of Brazil, although only two are relatively common in the nursery trade, O. navioides and O. vagans.

There are some phenomenal images of these plants in flower posted on the web, particularly by Brazilian photographers, but I thought I'd post some of mine.

I'll start with one of my favorites, O. albopictum, two clones:

 

 

[XYZ]

...Some different morphs of the very beautiful Orthophytum burle-marxii:

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...Putatively, O. ulei from a German source:

 

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...An undescribed sp. aff. O. roseum and O. navioides:

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...And to conclude, a variegated clone of a well-known bigeneric hybrid between Neoregelia and O. navioides, xNeophytum 'Galactic Warrior'. Note that the two plants are from divisions of exactly the same founder, and show the variability in color between individuals grown under different lighting:

[Gonzer]

Exquisite Stoney! Orthophytum is a too-oft ignored genus that needs more time in the limelight.

My Galactic does the same color morphing, never can tell from one season to the next.

How are you with growing Navia?

[XYZ]

Thanks, Gonz.

When I was interested in growing navias, the species I wanted (ex-Venezuelan highlands) weren't available. Now that some are, I am not especially keen on getting them.

I do have a dozen or so spp. of very select Pitcairnia spp., all of modest size and knockout infls. This is also a genus that has been notably neglected as well, largely due to the ubiquity of the oversize spp. everywhere you can shake a stick in the American tropics. As more of the smaller species with traffic-stopping inflorescences find their way into horticulture, I think they will prove very popular garden and greenhouse plants. Many have the advantage that they can be flowered from seed in two or three years.

J

[aussiearoids]

Made my day seeing these , Thanks Jay

[XYZ]

Hi, Miguel.

"We aim to please."

Happy Trails,

J