Tillandsia bartramii Elliot

  • 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 bartramii Elliott

  • Type

    Type. LeConte s n (holotype CHARL, isotype NY), on old trees in the Mortar Swamp, Liberty County, Georgia, United States.

  • Synonyms

    Tillandsia juncea (Ruiz & Pav.) Poir., Tillandsia pinifolia Leconte, Tillandsia simulata Small, Tillandsia myriophylla Small

  • Description

    Description - Plant stemless, 2-4 dm high. Leaves many in a dense subfasciculate rosette, equaling or slightly exceeding the inflorescence, densely and finely appressed-lepidote throughout; sheaths subtriangular, 15-20 mm wide, conspicuous, pale-ferruginous; blades suberect to spreading, linear-triangular, Filiform-attenuate, involute. Scape erect, slender; scape-bracts erect, involute, densely imbricate, elliptic, acuminate, filiform-laminate, chartaceous, densely lepidote, red. Inflorescence digitate from a few spikes; primary bracts resembling the upper scape-bracts, usually much shorter than the axillary spikes; spikes erect, linear in outline, acute, 3-9 cm long, 1 cm wide, complanate, densely flowered. Floral bracts erect, imbricate, ovate, broadly acute, to 16 mm long, equaling the sepals, three times as long as the internodes, carinate only at extreme apex, subcoriaceous, even or slightly nerved, densely pale-appressed-lepidote; flowers subsessile. Sepals elliptic-oblong, obtuse, coriaceous, even, lepidote, carinate and connate posteriorly; petals tubular-erect, ligulate, 30-45 mm long, violet; stamens and pistil exserted. Capsule slenderly cylindric, acute, 3 cm long.

  • Discussion

    The variability of Tillandsia bartramii may indicate that it is a hybrid swarm whose vigor enables it to push further north than any of its possible parents.

  • Distribution

    Epiphytic, low altitudes of the coastal plain in southeastern United States, Guatemala, Mexico.

    United States of America North America| Georgia United States of America North America| Florida United States of America North America| Mexico North America| Tamaulipas Mexico North America| San Luis Potosí Mexico North America| Jalisco Mexico North America| Guerrero Mexico North America| Oaxaca Mexico North America| Guatemala Central America|