Monographs Details:
Authority:

Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (2): 663-1492. (Published by NYBG Press)
Family:

Bromeliaceae
Scientific Name:

Tillandsia bulbosa Hook.
Synonyms:

Tillandsia bulbosa var. brasiliensis Schult.f., Tillandsia bulbosa var. picta Hook., Pourretia hanisiana Morren ex E.Morren, Tillandsia inanis Lindl. & Paxton, Tillandsia erythraea Lindl. & Paxton, Tillandsia pumila Lindl. & Paxton, Platystachys inanis (Lindl. & Paxton) Beer, Platystachys bulbosa (Hook.) Beer, Platystachys erythraea (Beer) Lindl. & Paxton, Tillandsia pumila Lindl. & Paxton
Description:

Description - Plant stemless, usually densely aggregated, 7-22 cm high, very variable in size and color. Leaves 8-15, often exceeding the inflorescence, covered with fine, closely appressed, cinereous scales; sheaths orbicular, abruptly contracted into the blades, greatly inflated, 2-5 cm long, forming a dense ovoid pseudobulb (long-fusiform in some non-persistent sports), green or greenish-white, often with a narrow red or purple marginal band; blades involute-subulate, attenuate, contorted, spreading and at least the outer ones making a sharp angle with the apex of the sheath, to 3 dm long, 2-7 mm in diameter. Scape erect; scape-bracts foliaceous in form with elongate blades exceeding the inflorescence, the upper ones often red. Inflorescence simple or subdigitate from a few spikes, red or green; primary bracts ovate, acute, much shorter than the axillary spikes but their foliaceous blades sometimes exceeding them; spikes spreading, lanceolate, acute, complanate, 2-5 cm long, 2-8-flowered; rhachis slender, lepidote. Floral bracts erect, imbricate, ovate, acute, 15 mm long, exceeding the sepals, two to three times as long as the internodes, subchartaceous, densely and finely appressed-lepidote, carinate; flowers sessile. Sepals oblong, apiculate, 13 mm long, glabrous, more or less connate, posteriorly; petals linear, acute, 3-4 cm long, blue or violet; stamens and pistil exserted. Capsule cylindric, to 4 cm long.

Distribution:

Mexico North America| Tabasco Mexico North America| Campeche Mexico North America| Quintana Roo Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America| Petén Guatemala Central America| La Libertad Peru South America| Alta Verapaz Guatemala Central America| Izabal Guatemala Central America| Belize Central America| Toledo Belize Central America| Honduras Central America| Atlántida Honduras Central America| Nicaragua Central America| Zelaya Nicaragua Central America| Bluefields Nicaragua Central America| Chontales Nicaragua Central America| Costa Rica South America| Guanacaste Costa Rica Central America| Puntarenas Costa Rica Central America| Alajuela Costa Rica Central America| Limón Costa Rica Central America| San José Costa Rica Central America| Cartago Costa Rica Central America| Panama Central America| Bocas del Toro Panamá Central America| Veraguas Panama Central America| Coclé Panamá Central America| Canal Zone Panamá Central America| San Blás Panama Central America| Cuba South America| Isla de Piños Cuba South America| Piñar del Río Cuba South America| La Habana Cuba South America| Matanzas Cuba South America| Las Villas Cuba West Indies| Camagüey Cuba South America| Oriente Cuba South America| Jamaica South America| Saint Ann Jamaica South America| Manchester Jamaica South America| Saint Elizabeth Jamaica South America| Dominican Republic South America| Puerto Rico South America| Maricao Puerto Rico South America| Guadeloupe South America| Colombia South America| Norte de Santander Colombia South America| Santander Colombia South America| Antioquia Colombia South America| Valle Colombia South America| Nariño Colombia South America| Meta Colombia South America| Nueva Esparta Venezuela South America| Delta Amacuro Venezuela South America| Anzoátegui Venezuela South America| Miranda Venezuela South America| Distrito Federal Venezuela South America| Falcón Venezuela South America| Táchira Venezuela South America| Bolívar Venezuela South America| Amazonas Venezuela South America| Trinidad and Tobago South America| Guyana South America| Pomeroon-Supenaam Guyana South America| Demerara Guyana South America| Essequibo Guyana South America| Suriname South America| French Guiana South America| Ecuador South America| Guayas Ecuador South America| Brazil South America| Amapá Brazil South America| Pará Brazil South America| Pernambuco Brazil South America| Alagoas Brazil South America| Bahia Brazil South America| Espirito Santo Brazil South America|