Wow, Kerry, you beat me by milliseconds! At least you put in the images! Pedro

Hi all, this is the one to use if you want to. Pedro

Hi, great work guys. This is the response I couldn't post. I'm sure there is nothing in it bad enough to freeze up Pedro's original.

"Hi Pedro,

Spectacular plants and very interesting to see. Thanks for sharing them. That pastuchoffiana is something else and the crinkling of the leaves of a couple of those bituminosa? seedlings is just so extensive that it is a real feature. If that comes though in breeding, couldn't there be some interesting results! Cheers, Paul"

I can only continue to agree with myself. Cheers, Paul

These are really nice Vrieseas, Pedro.

There has been much confusion here in Oz about a couple of Vr. pastuchoffiana look-alikes, which I'm keen to sort out with some help, if possible.
Like a few others, I bought a Vriesea labeled as pastuchoffiana from Pinegrove Nursery (N.S.W.) several years ago when the nursery was owned by the Buchanans. When it flowered, I realised it was incorrectly labeled and was really the smaller hybrid Vr. Intermedia (rust bracts). I have grown and flowered a few of these, including a pink-lilac bracted form. It is quite similar to Pedro's pastuchoffiana, but its leaves are more "cascading" (less upright) and the glyphs are not as strong in contrast. The inflorescence of 'Intermedia' differs greatly.

Having sorted that out, I then acquired another form of a labeled Vr. 'Intermedia', which looks just like Pedro's pastuchoffiana. I have seen this same Vriesea offered elsewhere for sale as 'Intermedia', sometimes with the added description of "tall upright form". I have labeled my tall upright one Vriesea 'Intermedia NOT (??)' - but might it be the real pastuchoffiana?
I have been growing the one in below photos for about 6-7 years. It is approx. one metre (three feet) high and wide, grown in a shady area of my garden, yet to flower. Obviously the inflo will help reveal all, but I live in hope.

Vr. 'Intermedia Not'... OR Vr. pastuchoffiana?
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I love those Vr. bituminosa(?) seedlings. I bought one from Bruce at Greenstock, and assume his are from the same wild seed as Pedro's (?).
Here is a photo of a dear little one at Greenstock last June, which resembles a pleated cabbage.
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This photo is of one of those seedlings of Vr. bituminosa from Greenstock, now getting quite big. Unfortunately, those corrugated leaves tend to smooth out as it grows, and the dark tips are less prominent. The reddish underleaf also seems to have disappeared. It has been growing in bright dappled light.
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I have been growing another Vr. bituminosa for a few years, bought as a pup rather than a seedling. It looks identical to the seedling, to my untrained and naked eye. It is yet to flower. See below.
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Cheers,
Kerry

Awesome Pedro. It is nice to be able to see rare/hard-to-get/difficult-to-grow species...especially when they are beautiful and interesting. There are so many bromeliads it seems a shame that the ones in horticulture seem so limited. Ok, maybe a slight exaggeration, but still with so many out there it seems like there are always more interesting plants to have (yeah, I tried to make that sounds less greedy...don't think it worked). Hopefully you will be able to get viable seed from the two clones. Almost seems like it is worth forcing the bloom to get them to bloom at the same time and not leave it to chance.

I like that cabbage seedling Kerry, wonder if it stayed like that or worked itself out as it grew as well. I got a Jungle Jade from John Arden and it had ridges like that (increasing after I got it)...I had it growing in my porch/greenhouse for a while, but I moved it outside and the new growth started to smooth out. Something cultural?
-andy

I love the look of those bitumosas when they are younger, unlike us humans it is a shame the wrinkles grow out as they get older.

This is a photo of one of my unknown vrieseas shown earlier, Pinkbroms said "Your 2nd plant I have it tagged as Vr. Intermedia x Red Chestnut" - I'd love it to get to the size of Vr pastuchoffiana, I guess I'll have to wait and see.

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Rick

I got seeds of Vr pastuchoffiana and raised many to a reasonable size , but sadly nearly all have died . Some I shared with other growers may have survived , ones I saw up on the tablelands had grown to a much larger size and hopefully may produce seeds soon . Others down here in the tropics have not done so well , I may have one or 2 small ones left , fingers crossed .

Hi all

Been in Brissy for a few days, Kerry, so nice to see the photos! Got a wedding soon here so getting busy preparing! Daughter is in Bris.

It's interesting how Bruce's plant changed. I have bituminosa from other sources in nearly full sun but none are the colour of the wild ones (if they are bituminosa??)

The glyph plant I also have, distinctive because of the narrowish, upright foliage and clumping habit, but it's a hybrid, so obvious on blooming.

My plants were obtained as seedlings supposedly ex Elton around the time of the article on Vr pastuchoffiana ion the BSI journal. They key as pastuchoffiana. There have been many pastuchoffianas (not) in Australia that have turned out to be be hybrids of other species so I'd sure like to see Michael's plant.

I am considering triggering them all, Andy, that's for sure!

There are many other glyph-leafed Brazil;ian species but sourcing them is very hard - damned shame! The old days of Seidel imports are gone.

Cheers, Pedro