Interesting Facts
Common Names
Common Names in English:
Air Plant, Narrowleaf Airplant
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
Flowers: Bloom Period: April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. • Flower Color: blue-violet, pink
Size/Age/Growth
Size: under 6" tall.
Biology
Growth
Culture: Space 3-6" apart.
Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade.
Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 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:
tenuifolia
- L.
- Botanical name: - Tillandsia tenuifolia L.
- Specific epithet:
tenuifolia
- L.
- Genus:
Tillandsia
(
- Subfamily:
Tillandsioideae
(
- Family:
Bromeliaceae
(
- Order:
Poales
(
- Superorder:
Bromelianae
(
- Subclass:
Commelinidae
(
- Class:
Spermatopsida
(
- Infraphylum:
Radiatopses
(
- Subphylum:
Euphyllophytina
(
- Phylum:
Tracheophyta
(
- Subkingdom:
Viridaeplantae
(
- Kingdom:
Plantae
(
Synonyms
Tillandsia pulchella Hook.
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 botany of the Isle of Pines, Cuba, based upon the specimens of plants from that island contained in the herbarium of the Carnegie Museum under date of October, 1916. By O.E. Jennings. n.p., 1917 url p. 90, p. 91.
- Annals of the Carnegie Museum. [Pittsburgh]: Published by authority of the Board of Trustees of the Carnegie Institute, 1901- url p. 504, p. 90, p. 91.
- Annual report / Florida State Geological Survey. Tallahassee, Fla.: Capital Pub. Co., state printer, url p. 133, p. 139, p. 140, p. 307, p. 334, p. 435, p. 91.
- Biologia centrali-americana; or, Contributions to the knowledge of the fauna and flora of Mexico and Central America. London, Pub. for the editors by R. H. Porter and Dulau & co., 1879-88. url , .
- Britton, N. L. (ed.). North American flora. [New York]New York Botanical Garden. url p. 133, p. 135.
- Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 37 1910 New York: Torrey Botanical Club, 1870-1996 url p. 210, p. 516, p. 569.
- 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.
- Complete works. U.C. Berkeley, Statistical Lab, 1910-31. url .
- Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 50 2004 Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1890- url p. 129, p. 161, p. 217, p. 224, p. 411, p. 450, p. 78.
- Contributions from the University of Michigan Herbarium. 24 2005 Ann Arbor: University Herbarium, University of Michigan, 1939- url p. 169, p. 29, p. 90.
- Cyclopedia of American horticulture, comprising suggestions for cultivation of horticultural plants, descriptions of the species of fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants sold in the United by L. H. Bailey. .. assisted by William Miller. .. and many expert cultivators and botanists. London: The Macmillan company, 1909. url p. 1810.
- Edwards, S. T. The Botanical register: consisting of coloured figures of. .. 9 1823 London: Printed for James Ridgway, 1815-1828. url , .
- Flora of Guatemala / by Paul C. Standley and Julian A. Steyermark. 24 1958 Chicago: Chicago Museum of Natural History, 1958. url fig. 117, page 466.
- Flora of Miami; being descriptions of the seed-plants growing naturally on the Everglade Keys and in the adjacent Everglades, southern peninsular Florida. New York, The author, 1913. url p. 39.
- Flora of the Florida Keys: being descriptions of the seed-plants growing naturally on the islands of the Florida reef from Virginia Key to Dry Tortugas / by John Kunkel Small. New York, J.K. Small, 1913. url p. 30.
- Flora of the Florida Keys; being descriptions of the seed-plants growing naturally on the islands of the Florida reef from Virginia Key to Dry Tortugas. New York, The author, 1913. url p. 30.
- Flora of the Florida keys; being descriptions of the see-plants growing naturally on the islands of the Florida reef from Virginia key to Dry Tortugas, by John Kunkel Small. .. New York: The author, 1913. url p. 30.
- Flora of the southeastern United States; being descriptions of the seed-plants, ferns and fern-allies growing naturally in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and in Oklahom by John Kunkel Small. New York, The author, 1913. url p. 245, p. 245.
- Journal of the New York Botanical Garden. 29 1928 Lancaster, Pa.: Published for the Garden by the New Era Printing Co., 1900- url p. 206, p. 219, p. 40, p. 69.
- Manual of the southeastern flora: being descriptions of the seed plants growing naturally in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, eastern Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. 1933 New York: The author, 1933. url p. 269.
- Phytologia. 8 1961 - 19 Bronx Park, New York, H.A. Gleason and H.N. Moldenke, url p. 10, p. 219, p. 220, p. 454.
- Practical floriculture, a guide to the successful cultivation of florists' plants, for the amateur and professional florist. New York, Judd[1869] url p. 217.
- Small, J. K. Flora of the southeastern United States;being descriptions of the seed-plants, ferns and fern-allies growing naturally in North Carolina, South Carolin, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and the Indian territory and in Oklahoma and Texas east of the one-hundredth meridian /by John Kunkel Small. .. 1903 New York: The author, 1903. url p. 245.
- Smithsonian miscellaneous collections. 126 1956 Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1862-1968. url p. 76, p. 95.
- The American journal of science and arts. New-Haven: S. Converse, url p. 292.
- The American journal of science. 5 1822 New Haven, Kline Geology Laboratory, Yale University. url p. 292.
- The Garden: an illustrated weekly journal of gardening in all its branches. London: [s.n., url p. 466.
- The standard cyclopedia of horticulture; a discussion, for the amateur, and the professional and commercial grower, of the kinds, characteristics and methods of cultivation of the species of plants grown in the regions of the United States a Illustrated with colored plates, four thousand engravings in the text, and ninety-six full-page cuts. New York, Macmillan, 1919 [c1914] url p. 3350.
- The vegetation of south Florida south of 27 30 north, exclusive of the Florida keys, by John W. Harshberger. Philadelphia, Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1914. url p. 124, p. 127.
- Transactions of the Academy of Science of St. Louis. [St. Louis: Academy of Science of St. Louis], 1860-1958. url p. 469.
- Transactions of the Wagner Free Institute of Science of Philadelphia. 7 1910 Philadelphia: Wagner Free Institute of Science of Philadelphia, 1887-1927. url p. 124, p. 127.
- 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
- Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 9, 2012.
Data Sources
Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 15, 2007:
- Comisión nacional para el conocimiento y uso de la biodiversidad, Herbario del Instituto de Ecología, A.C., México
- Herbier de la Guyane, Herbier de la Guyane
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
- SysTax, Herbarium Universitat Ulm
- SysTax, SysTax
Identifiers
- Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2676667
- Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Kew-269844
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13735962
- Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:125715-1
- Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 897675
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]
