''Tillandsia ionantha'', the air plant (a common name shared by most species in its genus), is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of plant in the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

''Tillandsia''. This species is

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

and

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. It is also reportedly naturalized in

Broward County, Florida Broward County ( ) is a County (United States), county in Florida, United States, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's second-most populous county after Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the List of the most ...

, United States.Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref>

Description

They are

acaulescent This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary ...

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

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

s; compound

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

(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

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s and covering them in the

anthesis Anthesis is the period during which a flower is fully open and functional. It may also refer to the onset of that period. The onset of anthesis is spectacular in some species. In ''Banksia'' species, for example, anthesis involves the extension ...

, ecarinated, inconspicuously nervate,

glabrous Glabrousness () is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes, or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part of a plant or animal, or be due to loss because of a physical condition, ...

membranous A membrane is a selective barrier; it allows some things to pass through but stops others. Such things may be molecules, ions, or other small particles. Membranes can be generally classified into synthetic membranes and biological membranes. B ...

sessile Sessility, or sessile, may refer to: * Sessility (motility), organisms which are not able to move about * Sessility (botany), flowers or leaves that grow directly from the stem or peduncle of a plant * Sessility (medicine), tumors and polyps that ...

flowers; sepals are 2 cm long, free, the posterior

carinate Carinate is a shape in pottery, glassware and artistic design usually applied to amphorae or vases. The shape is defined by the joining of a rounded base to the sides of an inward sloping vessel. This design is seen in ancient cultures such as ...

, the anterior ecarinated; purple petals. Capsules are 2.5–4.5 cm long.

Taxonomy

''Tillandsia ionantha'' was described by

Jules Emile Planchon Jules is the French form of the Latin "Julius" (e.g. Jules César, the French name for Julius Caesar). In the anglosphere, it is also used for females although it is still a predominantly masculine name.One of the few notable examples of a femal ...

and published in Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe 10: 101, t. 1006. 1854–1855

855 __NOTOC__ Year 855 (Roman numerals, DCCCLV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * November 20 – Theoktistos, co-regent of the Empire on behalf of 15-year old Emperor Mi ...

Etymology

*''Tillandsia'': generic name that was named by Carl Linnaeus in 1738 in honor of the Finnish doctor and botanist

Elias Tillandz Elias Tillandz (1640–1693; born Tillander) was a Swedish medical doctor and botanist who worked in Finland. He was the professor of medicine at the Academy of Turku. He wrote the country's first botanical work, the '' Catalogus Plantarum'', whic ...

(originally Tillander; 1640–1693). *''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

Gallery

File:Matthaei Botanical Gardens - IMG 8999.JPG, A plant in display File:Tillandsia ionantha - Lyman Plant House, Smith College - DSC04227.JPG, On a display File:Tilandsia Ionantha flower.jpg, Inflorescence closeup File:Tillandsia ionantha 2.jpg, Flowering on a fence File:Tillandsia ionantha "Druid".jpg, Cultivar ''Tillandsia'' 'Druid' File:20100522 Tillandsia Victoria.jpg, Cultivar ''Tillandsia'' 'Victoria'

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1937140 ionantha Flora of Costa Rica Flora of Mexico