Confusion about Pitcairnia aphelandriflora Lem. and a new well known related species

Abstract

Pitcairnia aphelandriflora Lem. has a long history known from Panama, Ecuador and Peru, but is actually an unresolved species from an island near the coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil and the species that is generally considered P. aphelandriflora is actually an unnamed species, described, illustrated and compared with its morphologically closest species below.