Summary
Tillandsia ionantha, the air plant (a common name shared by most species in its genus),[2] 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.[1][3][4][5]
| Tillandsia ionantha | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Bromeliaceae |
| Genus: | Tillandsia |
| Subgenus: | Tillandsia subg. Tillandsia |
| Species: | T. ionantha
|
| Binomial name | |
| Tillandsia ionantha Planchon
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Description edit
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.[6]
Taxonomy edit
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].[7]
Etymology edit
- 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).[8]
- ionantha: epithet Latin meaning "with violet flowers"[9]
Synonymy edit
- 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 edit
Two varieties are recognized:[1]
- Tillandsia ionantha var. ionantha – most of species range
- Tillandsia ionantha var. stricta Koide – Oaxaca
Gallery edit
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A plant in display -
On a display -
Inflorescence closeup -
Flowering on a fence -
Cultivar Tillandsia 'Druid' -
Cultivar Tillandsia 'Victoria'
References edit
- ^ a b c Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
- ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Tillandsia ionantha". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- ^ Luther, Harry E. (1995). "An Annotated Checklist of the Bromeliaceae of Costa Rica". Selbyana. 16 (2): 230–234. ISSN 0361-185X. JSTOR 41759911.
- ^ Espejo-Serna, Adolfo; López-Ferrari, Ana Rosa; Ramírez-morillo, Ivón; Holst, Bruce K.; Luther, Harry E.; Till, Walter (1 June 2004). "Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with Notes on Species Distribution and Levels of Endemism". Selbyana. 25 (1): 33–86. ISSN 2689-0682. JSTOR 41760147.
- ^ Biota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution map
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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
- ^ 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.
- ^ CONABIO 2009. Taxonomic catalog of species of Mexico. 1. In Capital Nat. Mexico. CONABIO, Mexico City.