Overview
Interesting Facts
Common Names
Click on the language to view common names.
Common Names in English:
Fuzzy Wuzzy Air Plant, Fuzzywuzzy Airplant, Hoary Air Plant
Common Names in Spanish:
Tillandsia Peluda
Description
Family Bromeliaceae
Herbs or rarely shrubs
, epiphytic, lithophytic, or terrestrial
. Leaves spirally arranged
, usually rosulate, sessile, simple
, veins parallel, base
dilated
, sheathing
, margin
often spinose
serrate or sometimes entire. Inflorescence terminal
or lateral
, scapose
or sessile, a panicle, raceme
, spike, or head
, sometimes reduced to solitary, pseudolateral flowers; bracts usually brightly colored
and conspicuous
. Flowers bisexual
or sometimes functionally unisexual
, 3-merous. Sepals and petals each 3, distinct
, free
or basally connate
; petals often brightly colored, basal margin with a pair of scalelike appendages
. Stamens 6, in 2 whorls of 3; filaments
free, connate, or collectively or individually adnate
to petals; anthers
2-celled, dehiscing by longitudinal
slits. Gynoecium of 3 carpels united
to form a compound
, 3-loculed, superior or very often partly or wholly inferior ovary
; ovules few to usually ± numerous
in each locule; placentation axile
. Style terminal and often 3-parted; stigmas papillose
. Fruit a berry or less often a septicidal
capsule, or seldom compound and fleshy
. Seeds usually winged
or plumose
; endosperm mealy
; embryo small to fairly large.
About 50 genera and 2000--2600 species: mainly tropical
America, except for Pitcairnia feliciana (A. Chevalier) Harms & Mildbraed in tropical W Africa; one species (introduced
) in China.[1]
Genus Tillandsia
Herbs, usually epiphytic, stemless to long caulescent
. Leaves mostly many-ranked, rosulate, or occasionally 2-ranked and / or laxly arranged; blade
linear
to triangular or ligulate
, margins
entire, trichomes
usually conspicuous
. Inflorescences central, 1--many-flowered, 2-ranked; floral
bracts mostly broad, conspicuous, rachis covered or exposed at anthesis
. Flowers bisexual
; sepals distinct
or adaxial
pair connate
, usually symmetric
; petals distinct; stamens included
or exserted, filaments
free
; ovary superior. Capsules cylindric
, dehiscent
. Seeds with basal, white, plumose
appendage
.
Species ca.
550 (13 species and 2 described natural hybrids in the flora
) : widespread in the Neotropics.[2]
Physical Description
Species Tillandsia pruinosa
Plants
usually single, rarely clustering
, flowering to 10 cm. Stems
short. Leaves 5--10, many-ranked, contorted or secund-spreading,
gray-green to silver, 6--10 ´ 0.3--0.5 cm, densely pruinose-scaly,
scales
coarse
; sheath
dark chestnut brown within, ovate
to elliptic
,
conspicuously inflated
, forming small pseudobulb
, 1.5--3 cm wide;
blade
linear-subulate, semisucculent, margins
involute
, apex attenuate.
Inflorescences: scape inconspicuous, usually ascending
, 1--3 cm,
2--3 mm diam.; bracts densely imbricate, erect
to spreading
, like
leaves but gradually smaller; sheath of bracts narrowing abruptly
into blade; single spikes, usually ascending, pinnate, broadly elliptic,
compressed
, 2--3 ´ 1.2--2.4 cm, apex acute to obtuse
. Floral
bracts imbricate, erect, pink, broad (covering all or most of rachis,
rachis not visible at anthesis
), ovate, keeled
, 2--2.2 cm, thin-leathery,
base
not visible at anthesis, apex broadly acute, surfaces densely
scaly
, venation
even to slight. Flowers 3--12, conspicuous
; sepals
free
, elliptic, adaxial
pair keeled, 1.2--1.8 cm, thin-leathery,
veined, apex obtuse, surfaces glabrous
; corolla tubular
; petals erect,
blue-violet, ligulate
, to 3 cm; stamens exserted; stigma exserted,
conduplicate-spiral. Fruits to 3.5 cm. [source]
In North America, Tillandsia pruinosa is infrequent but locally
abundant. [source]
Habit: Forb/herb
Flowers: Bloom Period: February, March, April, May, June, July. • Flower Color: purple
Size/Age/Growth
Size: under 6" tall.
Habitat
Epiphytic in shady, humid hammocks ; 0--30 m [3].
Biology
Reproduction
Duration: Perennial
Growth
Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Light Shade.
Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 10a, 10b, 11. (map)
Taxonomy
- Domain:
Eukaryota
(
)
- Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- eukaryotes
- Kingdom:
Plantae
()
- Haeckel, 1866
- Plants
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
()
- Cavalier-Smith, 1981
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
()
- Sinnott, 1935 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998
- Vascular Plants
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
()
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
()
- Kenrick & Crane, 1997
- Class:
Spermatopsida
()
- Brongniart, 1843
- Subclass:
Commelinidae
()
- Takhtajan, 1967
- Superorder:
Bromelianae
()
- R. Dahlgren Ex Reveal, 1992
- Order:
Poales
()
- Small, 1903
- Family:
Bromeliaceae
()
- A.L. de Jussieu, 1789, nom. cons.
- Bromeliad Family
- Subfamily:
Tillandsioideae
()
- Genus:
Tillandsia
()
- C. Linnaeus, 1753
- [After the Swedish botanist E. Tillands, 1640--1693]
- Specific epithet:
pruinosa
- Sw.
- Botanical name: - Tillandsia pruinosa Sw.
- Specific epithet:
pruinosa
- Sw.
- Genus:
Tillandsia
(
- Subfamily:
Tillandsioideae
(
- Family:
Bromeliaceae
(
- Order:
Poales
(
- Superorder:
Bromelianae
(
- Subclass:
Commelinidae
(
- Class:
Spermatopsida
(
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
(
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
(
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
Notes
Name
Status: Accepted Name
.
Last scrutiny: 21-Jun-2005
Similar Species
Members of the genus Tillandsia
ZipcodeZoo has pages for 59 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:
T. aeranthos (Air Plant) · T. albertiana x stricta (Air Plant) · T. araujei (Air Plant) · T. ariza-juliae (Dominican Airplant) · T. baileyi (Reflexed Airplant) · T. balbisiana (Balbis Air Plant) · T. bartramii (Bartram's Airplant) · T. bergeri (Air Plant) · T. brachycaulos (Airplant) · T. brachycaulos x caput-medusae (Medusa´s Head) · T. brachycaulos x schiedeana (Giant Air Plant) · T. bulbosa (Air Plant) · T. bulbosa 'Giant Belize Form' (Air Plant) · T. cacticola (Tillandsia) · T. cyanea 'Josée' (Pink Quill 'jos) · T. cyanea 'Pink Quill' (Air Plant) · T. dyeriana (Tillandsia) · T. fasciculata (Cardinal Air Plant) · T. fasciculata Sw. var. clavispica Mez (Giant Airplant) · T. fasciculata var. clavispica (Giant Airplant) · T. fasciculata var. densispica (Giant Airplant) · T. fasciculata var. fasciculata (Giant Airplant) · T. fasciculata var. venosispica (Giant Airplant) · T. festucoides (Fescue Airplant) · T. flexuosa (Banded Wild-Pine) · T. floridana (Florida Airplant) · T. fuchsii var. gracilis (Air Plant) · T. funebris (Air Plant) · T. funkiana (Air Plant) · T. insularis (Spanish Moss) · T. ionantha (Blushing Bride) · T. ionantha 'Druid' (Air Plant) · T. ionantha 'Peach' (Air Plant) · T. leonamiana (Air Plant) · T. lindenii (Linden's Airplant) · T. lineatispica (Pinon) · T. lingulata (Droophead Tufted Airplant) · T. neglecta (Air Plant) · T. nidus 'T. Ionantha X T. Fascicula' (Air Plant) · T. nitida (Caribbean Strap Airplant) · T. paucifolia (Potbelly Airplant) · T. plumosa (Air Plant) · T. pruinosa (Fuzzy Wuzzy Air Plant) · T. recurvata (Ball Moss) · T. ringens (Pirigallo) · T. sessiliflora (Sessileleaf Strap Airplant) · T. setacea (Needle-Leaf Airplant) · T. smalliana (Small's Airplant) · T. stricta (Air Plant) · T. stricta 'Hard Leaf' (Tillandsia) · T. tenuifolia (Air Plant) · T. tricholepis (Air Moss) · T. tricholepsis (Air Plant) · T. usneoides (Spanish Moss) · T. utriculata (Giant Air Plant) · T. variabilis (Leatherleaf Airplant) · T. x (Florida Airplant) · T. xerographica (Tillandsia) · T. x rectifolia (Tillandsia)
More Info
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Further Reading
- A contribution to the flora of Honduras, by T. G. Yuncker. 17 1938 Chicago, 1938. url p. 321.
- Britton, N. L. (ed.). North American flora. [New York]New York Botanical Garden. url p. 142.
- Catalogue of scientific papers (1800-1900) Comp. by the Royal society of London. Cambridge, C. J. Clay and sons, 1867-1902; url p. 853.
- Catalogue of scientific papers, 1800-1900. Compiled by the Royal Society of London. London, C.J. Clay and Sons, 1867-1902 [etc.] Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1914-25. url p. 853.
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 33 1957 Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1890- url p. 107, p. 108, p. 172, p. 217, p. 222, p. 411, p. 448, p. 458, p. 468, p. 470, p. V.
- Flora of Costa Rica. .. by Paul C. Standley. .. 18 1937 Chicago, 1937. url p. 160.
- Flora of Guatemala / by Paul C. Standley and Julian A. Steyermark. 24 1958 Chicago: Chicago Museum of Natural History, 1958. url p. 458, fig. 112, page 460, p. ix.
- Flora of the Lancetilla Valley, Honduras, by Paul C. Standley. 10 1931 Chicago, Field Museum of Natural History, 1931. url p. 128.
- Phytologia memoirs. Plainfield, N.J.: H.N. Moldenke and A.L. Moldenke, 1980- url p. 89.
- Phytologia. Bronx Park, New York, H.A. Gleason and H.N. Moldenke, url p. 326, p. 455.
- Smithsonian miscellaneous collections. 126 1956 Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1862-1968. url p. 76, p. 96.
- The Gardeners' chronicle: a weekly illustrated journal of horticulture and allied subjects. London: [Gardeners Chronicle], 1874-1955. url p. 138, p. 477, p. 748.
- Ma Weiliang. 1997. Bromeliaceae. In: Wu Kuo-fang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 13(3): 64--68.
- Gardner, C. S. 1982. Systematic Study of Tillandsia Subgenus Tillandsia. Ph.D. dissertation. Texas A&M University.
- Gardner, C. S. 1984. New species and nomenclatural changes in Mexican Tillandsia---I. Selbyana 7: 361--379.
- Luther, H. E. 1985. Notes on hybrid tillandsias in Florida. Phytologia 57: 175--176.
Notes
Contributors
- Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 9, 2012.
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 30, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 9 providers.
- Ruggiero M., Gordon D., Bailly N., Kirk P., Nicolson D. (2011). The Catalogue of Life Taxonomic Classification, Edition 2, Part A. In: Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist (Bisby F.A., Roskov Y.R., Orrell T.M., Nicolson D., Paglinawan L.E., Bailly N., Kirk P.M., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Ouvrard D., eds). DVD; Species 2000: Reading, UK.
- "Tillandsia pruinosa". in Flora of North America Vol. 22. Published by Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.
- World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Release date: November 27, 2009
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 30, 2007:
- Comisión nacional para el conocimiento y uso de la biodiversidad, Herbario del Instituto de Ecología, A.C., México
- Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad
- , Biodiversidad de Costa Rica
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
- USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2662153
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Kew-269555
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13754422
- Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:125526-1
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 42368
- MoBot NameID: 4300583
- U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: TIPR
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 65028
Footnotes
- Wei-liang Ma & Bruce Bartholomew "Bromeliaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 24 Page 18. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
- Harry E. Luther,Gregory K. Brown "Tillandsia". in Flora of North America Vol. 22. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
- "Tillandsia pruinosa". in Flora of North America Vol. 22. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
