Guzmania lingulata (L.) Mez
Scarlet star, droophead tufted airplant
Scarlet stars are natives of Central and South America. They are not found in the wild in North America, except in Puerto Rico. These plants are epiphytes—plants that grow on other plants without harming them. They are also called airplants because they nestle in tree branches without soil, absorbing nutrients directly from the air and abundant rain.
Identification: Plants reach
Plants: 1–2′ (30–60 cm) in height, and are about the same in diameter.
Leaves: 15-30 narrow, straplike leaves emerge from the center., in a basal rosette.
Flowers: Although the true flowers are white and fairly inconspicuous, they appear atop dramatically colored maroon, yellow, pink and red bracts (modified leaves).
Fruits: Propagates by offshoots, or “baby plants.”
Habitats: Tropical rain and cloud forests, with bright indirect light.
Online References:
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland · ≈ 7 × 9″ (18 × 23 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland · ≈ 1 × 1½′ (34 × 45 cm) 
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) 
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland · ≈ 10 × 11″ (26 × 29 cm) ID is uncertain 
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland · ≈ 12 × 17″ (29 × 44 cm) 
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm) ID is uncertain 
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland · ≈ 11 × 12″ (27 × 30 cm) ID is uncertain 
4/6/2011 · Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens, Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland · ≈ 14 × 9″ (35 × 23 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Liliopsida | Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family |
| Subclass | Zingiberidae | Gingers and related plants |
| Order | Bromeliales | Bromeliads: tropical plants adapted to limited water, often epiphytes |
| Family | Bromeliaceae | Bromelias: tropical and subtropical plants, the best known being pineapple |
| Genus | Guzmania | Named for Anastasio Guzmán, a Spanish pharmacist and naturalist |
| Species | lingulata | Latin for "tongue-shaped" (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
Guzmania lingulata description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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