LONGISSIMA var. BRACHYANTHA   Reyes et al., 2015

Distribution : Mexico (Oaxaca : On Cerro Yucunino south of Tlaxiaco).

Description :

Plant glabrous.

Stems erect, up to 5 cm tall, rarely offsetting.

Rosette 8 - 11 cm in diameter, 16 - 25 leaves.

Leaves obovate, upper suface concave, apex mucronate, 4 - 7 x 2.5 - 3 cm, green tinged reddish.

Flowering stem 15 - 28 cm long, bracts 1.5 - 2 cm long, inflorescence a cincinnus or sometimes a panicle with 5 - 7 flowers, pedicels 10 - 11 mm long.

Flowers : Sepals very unequal, spreading to ascending, triangular-elliptic, 4.4 - 11 x 1.5 - 3.8 mm, reddish-green, corolla cylindrical, 13 - 16 mm long, 8 - 11.5 mm wide at the base, orange, inside pale yellow, apex greenish, petals acute, to 3.7 mm wide, filaments white.

Differs mainly in the size of the corolla which is only 13 - 16 mm long.

Note :

The Mexican authors have published this form of E. longissima as a subspecies of the type. In view of the fact that it differs mainly in the size of the corolla, this is not justified. The status of a variety is more appropriate.