#1 looks kind of like Bill. pyramidalis to me; #2 is some form of Ae. recurvata (not sure which one); #3 is Vr. ospinae; #4 is Till. cyanea, and the rest I'm not too sure about.

Just agreeing with Lisa's 1st 4.....but the others have me stumped too.For me,the nidularium would have to bloom to get a positive ID,as it looks like so many species do.
Bob

can't name any or positively but here is pic of A. Mary Brett to compare , just click on pic to enlarge it, {{gwi:466975}}

And this is pic of my Deep Regard to compare them and doubt yours is it, even my large one doesn't have those type of markings

{{gwi:466976}}

Thanks for the help, all. :)

I've seen many a pic of Bill pyramidalis before and never noticed the black bases of the leaves.

Thanks for the pic of your Deep Regard, brommad. You're right, the markings don't seem to match up. Hmmm, wonder who my little guy will grow up to be, then.

The best pic I've been able to come across of Ae Mary Brett is actually in an ebay listing. It looks a fair bit like mine, only with more colour on the leaf tips.

Bob, I came across this old post of yours about Vr ospinae:

"Some leaves do die out over time,bottom growing ones mostly,but eventually,it does'nt look good,[a lot of stem showing]and then I've removed the offsets and re-potted them. I've even cut the plant in half,and had the top half re-root itself,and have two new plants emerge from the bottom half just below the cut."

So what you're saying is I could take off that pup, then lop the top off the mother and replant it and it should still keep on keeping on? How much "stem" should I leave on it when I cut it off, (as you can see, mine is rather tall), or does it not really matter?

Thanks again, everyone. :)

phee78'
to answer you,
I think it looks pretty good right now,and is at a typical stage in its growth,but in a while,will begin to look as I had described,too much stem,with dead leaves.It does'nt seem to matter where you cut the Mother,but you would want as many leaves as possible to remain.
So you would need to look where the lowest good leaves are growing out of the stem,and cut about an inch below that.You may want to remove any dead or damaged leaves on that 1" of stem.Let the cut stem dry out (harden -off) before placing it on the rooting medium. I usually use Perlite,or a potting soil/sand mix,Kept Damp to get the roots started,and then when they are well established,(takes time)repot to the normal soil you use for all your broms,or the soil the Mother plant was in. You can use a rooting compound to assist with the new rooting effort. I do, don't know if its necessary,but it may be helpful. I've usually left the pup(s)remain on the Mother plant's remaining stem,and they will grow to cover over the stem,and you may even get new growth come out of the sides of the cut mother plant stem. Or,you can do the same for the pup,as for the Mom. I always kept the re-potted plant(s) well misted or in a humid atmophere during this process to lessen the shock.
I'm doing this myself with a similar vriesea,and may take a photo to post here to illustrate some of the results so far.The plant is Vr.chrysotachys,and can get too large for my limited space,so I 'cut it down to size'
Bob

Thanks for the detailed instructions, Bob! I'll print them out and keep them handy for when I decide to give mine the chop. ;)

Phee78,
Here are a couple of pics of the vriesea that I've cut and awaiting new roots. This plant had been in some sand/perlite/potting mix for about a month,and has sent out a few roots so far.More will come with time.
Bob

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Phee, the Nidularium, is it quite spiny? If it is, maybe Nid atalaiaense? That's one of the nidulariums that I found looks beautifull in the sun - and it can handle it. In the shade, the plant is just green but get this stunning orange/burgundy colours in the sun and it looks very dramatic if lit from behind.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nid atalaiaense

Thanks for the photos, Bob. The visual reference will come in handy when I do it myself.

Avane, yes it is rather spiney, (not nasty and bitey, but definitely spiney nontheless). The leaves are quite stiff and the colour is kind of a mottled combination of reds, browns and greens. Looking at the photos in that link, I think that's probably what it is. I figured it looked looked like it could handle some sun, so it's been getting a bit each day. Sounds like I should keep it where it is. Thanks for your help with the ID! :)

Phee, here are two pictures of Nid atalaiaense that was taken the garden of a friend, Lyn, in East London in South Africa. As you can see, her plants are in the full sun. To me, the plants look spectacular that way, only problem, when it flowers, the inflorecense tends to disappear as it is the same colour as the sun-tanned leaves. Atalaiaense is the plant in the top of the picture, planted in the green pot. Little bit lower to the right and back is another one.
{{gwi:467008}}

And here is a top view of the plant in the green pot.
{{gwi:467011}}

Thanks for the photos. Those plants look wonderful sitting out in the sun like that.

Just resurrecting this thread of mine from a little while back. The first photo in the original post, the one you guys thought might be Bill. pyramidalis, well it's started to flower, and it doesn't look very Bill-ish! LOL Any other suggestions for an ID?
{{gwi:467013}}

Well, that's a surprise! You're right, phee, definitely not a Bill. More like an Aechmea. There is a picture in the Baensch book of Ae. caudata v. eipperi that could be a match, although the FCBS pic of it looks a bit different. Alternatively, some form of Ae. organensis?

My first thought was that it had to be an Ae of some description, but with so many pics on FCBS, I figured it'd be quicker to see if anyone had some suggestions for specific names I could look up instead of just searching through them all on the website in the vain hope of having a match jump out at me. LOL ;)

The Ae. organensis in {{gwi:466977}} looks to be about the right size and shape of the actual plant, but mine doesn't have any pink on the inflorescence, which is also a different shape.

Here's a closer photo. If anything, it's off white with a hint of pale green. Will be interesting to see how much it changes as it matures.
{{gwi:467016}}

Phee, the flower on your plant looks about the same as an unidentified one growing in my garden. I have given up hope to get a name for it! I just call it 'Felix' - the name of the guy who gave it to me.
Lisa, I also have looked at 'eipperi', but it does not really look alike. I though the flower would get a bit more colourful, but this is the best colour it developes. Japie.
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Well, Felix is as good a name as any! ;-) Yours definitely looks like what mine is shaping up to be, Japie. I quite like the understated colours.

Aaaahhhh Phee, I've also been on the look out for a name for my "Marble Throat" LOL! well that's what it was labelled when I bought it at a Cairns market last year.
It just looks exactly like your first pic with the dark purple ink in the base. LOL I went through every neo species on the fcbs list and came up empty. NOW I come here and find out it's an aechmea? LOL this hobby of mine is driving me insane ;-)
ps: excuse the fly speck scale. I thought the black specks were quite pretty and were part of the design LOL. I've since learned that they walked there all by themselves! ;-)

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Yes and the fly speck scale can wipe out a collection if not treated agressivly...expecially in spring they are in the migratory stage

Unless of course yours turns out to be Bill pyramidalis like they originally thought mine was, Purplestar. ;)

I was at Olive Trevor's nursery today, and she had a couple of them which were labeled Ae organensis.

No No! not another pyramidalis LOL!

Yes! I agree Phee :) after looking at the organensis and gracilis article by Uncle D on... http://www.bromeliad.org.au/
I'm convinced mine is organensis too! Yippeee! another name down, 200 to go LOL! Thanks Phee :)