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"Bromeliaceae Andreanae 1983 edited by Michael Rothenberg was based on the work of Edouard Andre around the period of 1875-76. On pages 74 & 75 we find reference to both these species under Sodiroa and both are under the section Dissitiflorae which means with well spaced flowers. If a differential had been done by Andre it would have read something like this. S. dissitiflora differs from S. sprucei as follows Flowers 7 -8 not 12 -15 Flower sessile not with short pedicel. Floral bract about as long as the sepals not completely enveloping the base of the sepals Sepals half connate not totally connate Other attributes were missing in either of the two inconsistent descriptions. For example we do not know much about leaf shape or size but this features strongly in Smith & Downs, as too does the bract/sepal relationship. Both were collected on the Nembi River, collection numbers 3339 and 3349 suggesting they were found fairly close together. Since that time various botanists have examined these two species and added their own words to the descriptions but the two species names are still recognised even though as Guzmania.
Recently DeRoose has been selling plants called G. dissitiflora and using it in hybridization programs but there is doubt as to whether the plant is in fact G. sprucei. Are they really separate taxa? The matter is even more complicated when you refer to "Bromeliads" by Francisco Oliva-Esteve (2001) page 173 where you find the description of G. dissitiflora but the photo of G. sprucei. On page 172 you find the description of G. sprucei but the photo of a completely unrelated Guzmania.
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| Guzmania dissitiflora | |
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| Guzmania sprucei | ||
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Photo Credits:
Peter Bak, Vern Sawyer, Michael Andreas