Plants forming clumps. Leaves few in a bulbous rosette, to 0.5 m long; sheaths orbicular, inflated, forming a bulb 2.5-4.5 cm wide, dark brown or purple with numerous large pale green spots; blades involute-subulate, filiform, 3 mm wide, contorted. Scape erect with foliaceous bracts. Inflorescence digitate with a few spikes or rarely simple; spikes erect to spreading, linear, strongly flattened, 6-8 cm long, 1 cm wide, 5-8 flowered; floral bracts 2-8 cm long, 1 cm wide, scaled, much exceeding sepals; sepals hairless; petals 3-3.5 cm long, violet, forming a tube; stamens protruding.

Mexico to Panama

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.