Aechmea tonduzii Mez & Pittier

Aechmea tonduzii Mez & Pittier; Mez, Bull Herb. Boiss. II. 3: 132. 1903.
Leaves over I m. long; the inner sheaths erect, tubular-involute, elongate; blades ligulate, broadly obtuse, minutely apiculate, laxly and minutely spinulosc-scrrate, becoming almost entire toward the apex, 5 cm. wide, light-grctn, concolorous, densely and coarsely palc-apprcsscdlepidotc l>elow; scape erect, slender, less than a third as long as the leaves; scai)e-bracts erect, slightly exceeding the internodes, lanceolate, ai iiminate into a weak nuicro, entire or with a few minute teeth toward the apex, membranaceous; inflorescence simple, densely spicate, cylindric, 7 cm. long, alKjut I6-flowcrcd; floral bracts spreading to rcflexed, triangular, acuminate, subpungent, much shorter than the fruiting ovary, entire, the lower ones broad; flowers sessile; sepals free, 3 mm. long including the long terminal spine; berry stout, ovoid, even, conic at the apex, 18 mm. long, 15 mm. in diameter.
Type locality: Alto del Pito, near San Marcos, Costa Rica, altitude 1400 meters. Distribution: Known only from the type locality.