Some plants have been given a species name but you never seem to be able to find out who did the identification. The only exception to this is the Bromeliad Identification Centre where BIC numbers are advised to those who have species plants identified. Harry Luther must have done hundreds of these but when do you see offsets with BIC numbers? ---NEVER! To my mind this is a great waste of energy on Harry's part. The use of BIC numbers on offsets should be promoted by ALL Bromeliad Societies, large or small.
It seems that Neoregelia dungsiana is amongst these mis-named ones.
In the BSI Journal 1983 p191 Harry Luther pointed out that he had not seen this species in cultivation. In my talk at the World Conference in Orlando in 1996 I pointed out that this species was not in Australia although it could be in the USA because Harry had a plant at Marie Selby Gardens.
Because of my talk, Lisa Vinzant of Hawaii sent me a photo of her Neoregelia dungsiana obtained from mainland USA. This showed short stolons, wide numerous red-tipped leaves and does not seem to match Pereira's description. I would suggest that this is the same as that offered by Birdrock Tropicals and thus is being grown in the USA under this name.
I would have expected a plant similar in shape to what we grow in Australia as Bennett 81549 BUT with stolons like N. sapiatibensis or N. hoehneana. The only other discrepancies that I could find between Bennett 81549 and N. dungsiana are
- Scape 3cm long not 5cm
- Sepal joined 1mm not 5mm
- Petal 2.5cm long not 3cm
- Flower scented
Eventually we may be able to acquire a true Neoregelia dungsiana to show you but in the meantime, WATCH THIS SPACE
"