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.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant FamiliesBiota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution map
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.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.
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 .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
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).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. ionantha: epithet Latin meaning "with violet flowers"CONABIO 2009. Taxonomic catalog of species of Mexico. 1. In Capital Nat. Mexico. CONABIO, Mexico City.
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:
Tillandsia ionantha var. ionantha – most of species range Tillandsia ionantha var. stricta Koide – Oaxaca
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