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.

Distribution

Widespread in the Neotropics.

Discussion

Species ca. 550 (13 species and 2 described natural hybrids in the flora).

Selected References

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.

Lower Taxa

Tillandsia baileyi, Tillandsia balbisiana, Tillandsia bartramii, Tillandsia fasciculata, Tillandsia flexuosa, Tillandsia paucifolia, Tillandsia pruinosa, Tillandsia recurvata, Tillandsia setacea, Tillandsia simulata, Tillandsia usneoides, Tillandsia utriculata, Tillandsia variabilis, Tillandsia ×floridana, Tillandsia ×smalliana

Key

1	Leaves 2-ranked; inflorescence 1–2(–3)-flowered.	> 2
1	Leaves many-ranked; inflorescence more than 3-flowered.	> 3
2	Stems elongate, plants forming pendent festoons; inflorescence reduced to single, apparently sessile flower, scape concealed within leaf sheath; petals yellow-green	Tillandsia usneoides
2	Stems short, plants densely clustered to form spheric masses; inflorescence of (1–)2(–3) flowers, scape conspicuous; petals violet	Tillandsia recurvata
3	Floral bracts spreading and/or small, exposing most of rachis at anthesis.	> 4
3	Floral bracts imbricate, broad, covering all or most of rachis, rachis not visible at anthesis.	> 5
4	Leaves 10–20, spirally twisted, banded silver; floral bracts 2.3–3.1 cm; inflorescences with 2–6 flowers per branch; corolla pink to dark rose	Tillandsia flexuosa
4	Leaves greater than 20 in number, not twisted or banded (rarely variegated with linear cream stripes); floral bracts 1.2–2 cm; inflorescence with 6–11 flowers per branch; corolla white	Tillandsia utriculata
5	Leaf sheath conspicuously inflated; plants pseudobulbous.	> 6
5	Leaf sheath flat or only slightly inflated; plants not pseudobulbous.	> 10
6	Leaf blade channeled to involute; scapes 8–35 cm; floral bracts glabrous to inconspicuously scaly near apex only.	> 7
6	Leaf blade involute; scapes 1–15 cm; floral bracts densely scaly.	> 8
7	Leaf blade and scape bracts twisted, reflexed	Tillandsia balbisiana
7	Leaf blade and scape bracts erect to spreading	Tillandsia x smalliana
8	Scape 7–15 cm; plants from extreme s Texas	Tillandsia baileyi
8	Scape 6 cm or less; plants from Florida.	> 9
9	Inflorescence linear to narrowly elliptic; base of floral bracts visible at anthesis	Tillandsia paucifolia
9	Inflorescence broadly elliptic; base of floral bracts not visible at anthesis	Tillandsia pruinosa
10	Leaf blade obviously narrowly triangular, tapering evenly from base to apex.	> 11
10	Leaf blade linear-triangular to filiform.	> 12
11	Leaves soft, brittle; inflorescence simple or laxly 2–3 branched, never palmate; floral bracts 0.6–0.9 cm wide	Tillandsia variabilis
11	Leaves stiff, leathery; inflorescence densely palmate to laxly 2(–3)-pinnate with 3–15 branches; floral bracts 1.2–2 cm wide	Tillandsia fasciculata
12	Leaf sheath narrowly elliptic, 1.2–2 cm wide, slightly inflated	Tillandsia simulata
12	Leaf sheath broadly elliptic to triangular, 0.8–2.5 cm wide, flat.	> 13
13	Leaves finely appressed-scaly, appearing green to reddish green; sheath of scape bracts, especially distal ones, narrowing abruptly into blade; floral bracts green or tinged red, uniformly scaly; corolla lavender	Tillandsia setacea
13	Leaves densely and coarsely appressed-scaly, appearing gray; sheath of scape bracts narrowing gradually into blade; floral bracts uniformly red to rose, scaly distally, becoming sparsely scaly toward base; corolla violet.	> 14
14	Leaves 15–30, not over 0.5 cm wide at mid-length; inflorescence simple or with 1–5 lateral branches	Tillandsia bartramii
14	Leaves 20–50, 0.5–1 cm wide at mid-length; inflorescence 2-pinnate with 2–10 lateral branches	Tillandsia x floridana