This Bromeliad was photographed in the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro, unlabelled.
I thought I had found it on the web, where it is called Aechmea 'Carioca', so a cultivar.
https://www.google.be/search?q...

But there is a species bromeliad which is called Aechmea cariocae. Only one letter different!
http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov....
I found this document about the confusion:
http://mailman.science.uu.nl/p...

I cannot find any photos of the species on the web, so don't know what to do..

I found another one in my bromeliad folder from which I think it is the same, only in an earlier stage of blooming..
This is from Partay town, on the beach by the sea, and probably planted..

There's herbarium specimens on Flora do Brasil Myriam, the leaves do have spines on the edges which can be seen in the close up photo against the wall. The base of the leaf of the specimen doesn't have spines. The dried flower head doesn't look to match.

http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov....

There's several images of Aechmea cariocae which match the specimen but it now appears to be called Aechmea squarrosa (The Plant List gives both as accepted).

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

The flowers on the plant against the wall resemble Aechmea flavorosea but the leaves don't.

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

Look at Aechmea aquilega ..

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

A lot of Aechmea photos on a Brazilian site!

http://www.bossanova-bromelias...

I think I'll manage to get some Bromeliad id's with your last link Janet! I have a lot from the Bromeliad house from the Botanical garden which were not labelled..

I knew there was a herbarium specimen on the Flora do Brasil, I looked at it, but i find it so hard to id from those dried up dead bits and pieces..The rims of the base of the leaf seem to be rolled up, so maybe the spines are hidden..
http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov....

Yes, one can see spines on the one in Party, my photos of the ones in the Bot. Garden are not very clear, but I cropped part of a photo that shows that they have spines too..


I looked at the photos on the links too, I had already been there while searching, but I find it so hard to be sure, a Bromeliad flower changes so much in the different stages, and the photos on the web understandably nearly always shows them at their peak moment.
So I think I'd better keep both as Aechmea sp. to be safe..

I think the Bromiaceae family is one of the most difficult families when trying to get an id. , more so for one like me who's not at all familiar with them..

I found another site with mostly drawings, although not all species have a link.

http://www.bromtravels.nl/ht/l...

The google images show that Aechmea cariocae have conical heads which match with the specimen. First two photos on the link ..

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

Mine are definitely not Aechmea cariocae!

Your last photo against the wall really does look like Aechmea aquilega, with the exception of the red stem but stems often vary in colour. Click on the 'view image' link to get the best view, you can see black stamens with yellow pollen on which I can see on yours.

https://www.google.co.uk/searc...

The first plant looks different.

The photo of Aechmea aquilega on this site does have red stems ..

http://www.bossanova-bromelias...

I think there's a good chance the first one is Aechmea eurycorymbus ..

http://www.bossanova-bromelias...

http://fcbs.org/cgi-bin/dbman/...

The one you found named Aechmea 'Carioca' is a "cv. of eurycorymbus clone w/very large yellow/orange bloom", yours has very large blooms so it's looks very likely that cultivar.

http://www.bsi.org/bcr/Aechmea...

I think there's a good chance the first one is Aechmea eurycorymbus ..

Did you not mean the last one Janet, as the one which I thought being Aechmea 'Carioca' is the first one I posted?

Yes, I meant the first photo Myriam which is the last one you took.

I think I got it now, thanks!