STUDIES IN AMERICAN MIDDLE BROMELIACEAE II Gouda, Guianas, mem- sea pleiosticha (Griseb.) Fl. Mezohromelia from other distinguished is A 189: 82. 1987. TYPE: Venezuela: Fen- by Ser. Tillandsioideae epipetal- subfamily bers of the GOET). 1514 dler (holotype, stamens and biappendaged petals that are ag- ous portion of glutinate or connate for a significant 1896. Guzmania Mez, Monogr. Phan. 9: 930. splitgerberi & Downs, 1977) Smith (Smith rec- Evo- their length. Thecophyllum splitgerberi (Mez) Pittendr., Rauh ognized two species in the genus, and (1976, lution 2: 60. 1948. Vriesea splitgerberi (Mez) Ly- & man Wash. Acad. 43: from Smith Pittendr., Sci. two more. Recent collections B. J. 1977) described 966 403. 1954. type: Surinam: Splitgerber (ho- congruent with Costa Rica of flowering material lotype, L). & show 7141) Utley Vriesea splitgerberi {Utley biappendaged that the petals of this species are Literature Cited conjunction These and connate. characteristics, in Gouda, 1987. Bromeliaceae. Subfamily Tilland- E. inflorescence J. with the polystichously flowered A 1-112. 189: Guianas, Ser. sioideae. Fl. encountered Vrie- branches condition rarely in (a W. Neue und wenig Rauh, 1976. Bromelienstudien I. common sea but in Mezohromelia), strongly sug- bekannte Arten aus Peru und anderen Landern (5. member 5-57. species better treated as a Mitteilung). Trop. Subtrop. Pflanzenwelt 16: gest that this is Neue und wenig 1977. Bromelienstudien Gouda presented I. Mezohromelia. (1987) evi- of und anderen Landern bekannte Arten aus Peru (7. with dence that V. splitgerberi is conspecific Til- 5-47. Trop. Subtrop. Pflanzenwelt 21: Mitteilung). landsia pleiosticha and proposed the combination & Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae Smith, L. B. R. J. 663-1492. we Because consider the spe- Vriesea pleiosticha. (Bromeliaceae). Neotrop. 14(2): Fl. we Mezohromelia, pro- — be better placed in cies to Department Biological Sci- John Utley, of F. new combination. pose the following New New Orleans, Orleans, ences, University of and Harry Luther, The Louisiana 70148, U.S.A. & Mezobromelia pleiosticha Utley (Griseb.) Palm 800 South Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, pleiosticha comb. nov. Tillandsia Luther, 33577, U.S.A. Avenue, Sarasota, Florida Nachr. Konigl. Ges. Wiss. Georg Got- Griseb., tingen-Augusts-Univ. 1864: 19. 1865. Vrie- Card. 270. 1991. Ann. Missouri Box. 78: