Tillandsia ionantha explained

Tillandsia ionantha, the air plant (a common name shared by most species in its genus), is a species of plant in the genus Tillandsia. This species is native to Central America and Mexico. It is also reportedly naturalized in Broward County, Florida, United States.^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Description

They are acaulescent or sometimes shortly caulescent plants, with a size of 6–8 cm high. The leaves are 4–9 cm long; with pods 0.6–1 cm wide, densely patent fabric; narrow triangular sheets, 0.3–0.4 cm wide, dense lepidota indument, foliaceous bracts; compound inflorescence (of simple appearance due to the reduction of the spikes to 1 flower), with 1–3 flowers, primary foliaceous bracts, much longer than the spikes, floral bracts 3 cm long, longer than the sepals and covering them in the anthesis, ecarinated, inconspicuously nervate, glabrous, membranous, sessile flowers; sepals are 2 cm long, free, the posterior carinate, the anterior ecarinated; purple petals. Capsules are 2.5–4.5 cm long.^[5]

Taxonomy

Tillandsia ionantha was described by Jules Emile Planchon and published in Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe 10: 101, t. 1006. 1854–1855 [1855].^[6]

Etymology

• Tillandsia: generic name that was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1738 in honor of the Finnish doctor and botanist Elias Tillandz (originally Tillander; 1640–1693).^[7]
• ionantha: epithet Latin meaning "with violet flowers"^[8]

Synonymy

• Tillandsia ionantha f. fastigiata P.Koide
• Tillandsia ionantha var. Max Ehlers
• Tillandsia ionantha var. scaposa LBSmith
• Tillandsia ionantha var. stricta P.Koide
• Tillandsia ionantha var. van-hyningii MBFoster
• Tillandsia ionantha var. zebrina BTFoster
• Tillandsia rubentifolia Poisson & Menet
• Tillandsia scopus Hook. F. 4

Varieties

Two varieties are recognized:^[1]

1. Tillandsia ionantha var. ionantha – most of species range
2. Tillandsia ionantha var. stricta Koide – Oaxaca

Notes and References

1. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=269169 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
2. Luther . Harry E. . An Annotated Checklist of the Bromeliaceae of Costa Rica . Selbyana . 1995 . 16 . 2 . 230–234 . 41759911 . 0361-185X.
3. Espejo-Serna . Adolfo . López-Ferrari . Ana Rosa . Ramírez-morillo . Ivón . Holst . Bruce K. . Luther . Harry E. . Till . Walter . Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with Notes on Species Distribution and Levels of Endemism . Selbyana . 1 June 2004 . 25 . 1 . 33–86 . en . 2689-0682 . 41760147 .
4. http://bonap.net/MapGallery/County/Tillandsia%20ionantha.png Biota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution map
5. Cáceres González, DA, K. Schulte, M. Schmidt & G. Zizka. 2013. Diversity and levels of endemism of the Bromeliaceae of Costa Rica - an updated checklist. PhytoKeys 29: 17-61.
6. Davidse, G., M. Sousa Sánchez & AO Chater. 1994. Alismataceae to Cyperaceae. 6: i-xvi, 1-543. In G. Davidse, M. Sousa Sánchez & AO Chater (eds.) Fl. Mesoamer .. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City
7. Morales Quirós, JF 2003. Bromeliaceae. In: Manual of Plants of Costa Rica, BE Hammel, MH Grayum, C. Herrera & N. Zamora (eds.). Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 92: 297-375.
8. CONABIO 2009. Taxonomic catalog of species of Mexico. 1. In Capital Nat. Mexico. CONABIO, Mexico City.