Rosette small, flat, with or without stems. Leaves 10-15 cm long, 2-3 cm wide, narrowly lanceolate, green, heavily covered below with white scales; margins wavy, finely toothed. Inflorescence with few white flowers.This is the most common of the species in cultivation.

Brazil

var. argenteus Beer Upper surface of leaves green, hairless.

var. rubra Beer Leaves tinged red.

 

C. bivittatus (Hook.) Regel from Brazil has a stemless rosette. Leaves 15-20 cm long, 3-4 cm wide, dark green with 2 longitudinal cream or pink bands above, reddish-brown scaled below; margins wavy, finely toothed. Flowers white. Relatively common in cultivation.

Source: Christensen, T.; Butcher, D. (2005). Bromeliaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.