Tillandsia monadelpha (E.Morren) Baker

  • Family

    Bromeliaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Tillandsia monadelpha (E.Morren) Baker

  • Primary Citation

    Journal of Botany, British and Foreign, London 25: 281. 1887

  • Basionym

    Phytarrhiza monadelpha E.Morren

  • Description

    Author : Juan Francisco Morales, Xavier Cornejo & Reinaldo Aguilar.

    Description: Epiphytic herbs, forming funnelform rosettes, solitary or growing in clumps. Blades narrowly oblong-lanceolate, 12.5-35 x 0.5-1.5 cm, the margins entire, the apex decurrent. Scapes erect, soon becoming lateral, slender, 12.5-22 cm, glabrous; scape bracts overlapping, lanceolate, green. Inflorescences simple, loose, oblong in outline, 5-10.5 cm long, compressed, the axis flexuose. Floral bracts lanceolate, 12-18 mm, equaling sepals, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, carinate, nerved. Flowers patent, sessile; sepals lanceolate-elliptic to oblong, equally short-connate, the posterior sharply carinate; petals oblanceolate, ca. 25 mm long, white or yellow, reflexed; stamens deeply included. Fruits capsules, 40-70 mm long. Seeds with white coma.

    Common names: None recorded.

    Distribution: Belize and adjacent Guatemala to Brazil from sea level to 1000 m (Smith & Downs, 1977).

    Ecology: In moist and wet forests, often persistent in secondary and disturbed habitats (Cornejo, pers. obs. 1994).

    Phenology: This species has been observed with flowers in Feb and Mar (Morales, 2003).

    Pollination: The flowers are pollinated by humingbirds (Cornejo, pers. obs. 1996).

    Dispersal: Wind dispersed.

    Taxonomic notes: This species is recognized by the narrow leaves; simple, loose, erect inflorescences; patent, white flowers; and the relatively long capsules, 40-70 mm long.

    Conservation: Not endangered.

    Uses: None recorded.

    Etymology: Not recorded

  • Floras and Monographs

    Tillandsia monadelpha (E.Morren) Baker: [Article] Smith, Lyman B. & Downs, Robert J. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14 (2): 663-1492.

    Tillandsia monadelpha (E.Morren) Baker: [Article] Smith, Lyman B. 1957. The Bromeliaceae of Colombia. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 33: i-v, 1-311.

    Tillandsia monadelpha (E.Morren) Baker: [Article] Mori, S. A., et al. 1997. Guide to the vascular plants of central French Guiana: Part 1. Pteridophytes, gymnosperms, and monocotyledons. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 76: 1-422.