Vriesea fosteriana L.B.Sm.

Leaves many in a spreading rosette 7 cm long; sheaths large, dark brown; blades ligulate, to 7 cm wide, green and hairless above, marked with wavy purple transverse lines. Scape erect with finely purple spotted bracts. Inflorescence simple, over 40 cm long, finely spotted; floral bracts 3-4 cm long, shorter than sepals, yellowish, distichous; flowers on flower stalks to 13 mm long; sepals 27 mm long, green; petals green, purple toward tip; stamens included.

South-eastern Brazil.

This plant is mainly grown from seed and there is great variability in the colour of the leaf blade from green to reddish-brown. Plants in this extreme range are known as 'Red Chestnut' but do not come true from seed.

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.

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kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Lilianae
order      Poales
family       Bromeliaceae
genus        Vriesea Lindl.