Eric
No official change because nobody has added the 'x'
The only thing I could find was in this publication which Jason Grant reviewed in J. Bromeliad Soc. [September-October] 48(5): 225-229. 1998.
Flora of St. John, US Virgin Islands. Acevedo- Rodriguez, P., 1996
“ All these species are common wide ranging taxa except one, T. lineatispica that is apparently endemic to St. John and neighbouring Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. The author notes that since the morphology is intermediate between T. utriculata and T. fasciculata, it may be nothing more than a hybrid between those taxa, but further research is necessary”
This is agreed by Harry Luther – see herbarium specimen at SEL 7 Oct 1998
Derek (Pers Comm)
A mysterious find from Ixmiquilpan - Tillandsia lineatispica Mez 1896 by Erich Haugg
in Die Brom. 3: 78-9. 2000
Friends informed me in1998 of a fantastic white Tillandsia found near Ixmiquilpan, Mexico. At that time the first plant of Mr. Spinnler's flowered, and pictures of it were spread around and all Tillandsia specialists were of the opinion that it was a new species! Mr. Waldeis asked me if I wanted to describe this plant. After my experiences with first descriptions with cactus, I decided after some deliberation to do so. I also had an adult, but unfortunately it had finished flowering.
The existing, already faded flower would probably make good herbarium material, but it was necessary to have fresh flowers. So, I have this inflorescence as a more exact herbarium specimen. It lasted until autumn 1999 when another plant came into flower. This was photographed and the first flower was dissected. I sat down with Dr.Walter Till, Vienna, for a discussion. I had with me the herbarium specimen and a the flowering plant. After detailed considerations he said this plant somehow had been known before. In any case, it was a very remarkable collected plant.
After some days, he referred me to Tillandsia lineatispica. However, ths species is described from the Caribbean, St. Jan, Virgin Islands. Is there a mix up here? My enquiries with Spinnler and Waldeis, confirmed that these plants had been collected near Ixmiquilpan in Mexico, and a mix-up was impossible. Now my question to readers: who knows Tillandsia lineatispica from reliable sources? Below is part of the description in Smith, Flora Neotropica, Part.2, p 937.
Emails
12 Feb 2001
Dear Derek_,
did you get Die Bromelie? The plant from Ixmiquilpan is very dubious and I suppose not at all T. lineatispica.
T. lineatispica has been found on the Virgin Islands. I have a plant in my collection (from Blass). So I know the plant thouqh its has not flowered yet. Till thinks the plant Spinnler/Waldeis found is T. lineatispica.
Lydia saw the plant of Mr. Waldeis/ Spinnler and we also got the exact hint a year ago where the group has found the plant and Nov. 1999 we went there, Lydia and Gerhard Koehres and 2 other friends and I. Lydia has been to the Tonaltongo-Canon twice before and I have been there with Klaus some years ago, so we knew the place pretty well. We spent 1 whole day looking for the plant. We divided in 2 groups and went in the 2 possible directions along the river. No result.
Some people from the cactus-group Spinnler who found the plant went to the place again during the last year and told they did not find the plant again. Now shortly again some people of the Cactus-group went there again and Lydia was told they found plants and she will get some. But funny engough one person told Lydia the plant grows on trees near the river after passing a banana-plantation and one person told another place where the plant should grow on rocks.
So, all is very dubious and Lydia and I think it is a hybrid with T. albida and T. fasciculata. (I got a spike from Erich Haug of a dry plant that was more lax than the ones on the photo.)
Do you think it could be possible that T. lineatispica grows in Mexico?
Regards Renate
To: renate ehlers
From: derek butcher
Subject: Re: T. lineatispica
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001
Thank you for getting me to look more closely at T. lineatispica. If it had been one of yours I would have already translated it and knew what was happening! Like the T. ulrici'.! BUT I am confused.
If this plant had been named T.spinnleri then a differential diagnosis would have been done!! I checked the photo with the description in Smith and Downs of T. lineatispica and found lots of differences in the floral bits that I could see.So if Walter had done a differential he would have had lots of differences to think about!
It is very strange how a plant found on the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico 85 or more years ago has now been rediscovered in the MIDDLE of Mexico. No sightings having been made in between, both in time or habitat!
I would have been a lot happier with a new plant called T. spinnleri because we could ponder on its parentage. While T. albida could be one I am not so sure about the other.
Would you like to do an article for Die Bromelie, or me which you would have to translate, or both of us when we agree what differences we think Walter missed?
Wed, 4 Apr 2001
Hi Derek,
Lydia hopes to get a plant from the Waldeis-Spinnler-group. But in any case it would have to flower that we can really give a comment.
I got a spike from Erich Haugg a year ago, but at the moment I do not know where it is. But as soon as I find it, I will send it to you, so you can check.
I myself do not want to do anything. I told Till and Erich Haugg what I think about the plant, that it is supposed to be a hybrid and it is never T. lineatispica. But I do not want to hurt Erich, he was so proud that he can describe his first tillandsia. He may think if I do not agree it might be that I do not want other people to work on Mexican tillandsias.
There is no description from Erich so far, he only writes T. spinnleri is a "working name". He writes that Till when he saw the flowering plant and a herbarium- specimen during a visit in Vienna thought he knew the plant. And after some days of investigation he told him that the plant is T. lineatispica.Erich asks for more information about T. lineatispica in his article. So you easily can give this information if you have some and I could offer to translate.
Did I already write to you that Juergen Lautner with 3 friends also tried to find the plant in February this year. They also spent 1 day in the area where they had been before sometimes, so they knew the place very well. And Juergen has a lot of experience too!
Jason R. Grant
30 Apl 2001
Hi Unc,
Yes, when your email gets buried in the loads of emails I sort through everyday, and I forget you, just send a reminder like you did and I'll get on the case! sorry
Re. Tillandsia lineatispica. As you can see in Smith & Downs, T. lineatispica was described from St. Jan [= St. John, in the U.S. Virgin Islands]. Remember, the Danish Virgin Islands (St. Jan, St. Croix, and St. Thomas), were purchased by the US from Denmark in 1917.
Flora of St. John, US Virgin Islands. Acevedo- Rodriguez, P., 1996
" All these species are common wide ranging taxa except one, T. lineatispica that is apparently endemic to St. John and neighbouring Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. The author notes that since the morphology is intermediate between T. utriculata and T. fasciculata, it may be nothing more than a hybrid between those taxa, but further research is necessary"
This is agreed by Harry Luther - see herbarium specimen at SEL 7 Oct 1998 —SeeSmith & Downs 1977
