Margaret Butcher
First we will talk about the seed that appeared in May 1984 named Neoregelia tigrina. Keith Bradtberg grew the seed and we got two main types , one we called 'Spotted Tiger' and the other 'Purple Tiger'. They were obviously of hybrid origin although the identity of either parent is in doubt.
In the early 1980's no one really knew what Neoregelia tigrina looked like. In fact we bought it at the Orange County Bromeliad Show in California in 1982 as Neoregelia albiflora. At about the same time it was imported to Australia from the USA as Neoregelia 'Marnier-Lapostolle'
In the BSI Journal 1983 page 192 Harry Luther pointed out that all US forms of Neoregelia albiflora were really Neoregelia tigrina. No mention was made of Neoregelia 'Marnier-Lapostolle' but if we refer to the BS Bulletin 1970 page 128 we will find the following;
"The plant photographed by Dr. Richard Oeser was in the collection of M. Julian Marnier-Lapostolle at St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera and might or might not be a hybrid. Dr. Oeser could not say. It is obviously related to Neoregelia ampullacea but the plant is larger, the leaves are more flaring than the type and the colour is almost yellow. Such a handsome bromeliad is most certainly deserving of a name of its own."
This information suggests that this plant could easily have been called Neoregelia 'Marnier-Lapostolle' but is clearly a Neoregelia tigrina.
Confusion is also caused by a form of Neoregelia ampullacea being called 'Tigrina' (see BCR page 325) which bears no relationship to the species Neoregelia tigrina.
Yet more confusion was caused by using the name N. 'Marnier-Lapostolle' because there is a recognised hybrid of this name from (ampullacea x zonata) (see BCR page 262)
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