Tillandsia xiphioides subsp. prolata H.Luther[as Tillandsia xiphioides subsp. prolata H Luther]

Diagnose: —A Tillandisa xiphioides Ker-Gawler typo et varietatibus affinis, sed caule inflorescentiaque longiore differt.

Observations: —The Valle de la Luna site represents both a very high elevation and northwest outpost for Tillandsia xiphioides. The habit of the plant is also unique within the complex of T xiphioides; in fact the collector expected the plants (sterile when collected) to be some form of T latifolia Meyen or T incarnata HBK based on their appearance.

The long leafy stem, thinner, scarcely succulent leaves and rather elongate inflorescence at once separates this taxon from all the described varieties of T xiphioides but the bract and flower size and structure seems consistent enough to include it at the sub specific level. Actually, the reproductive structures and phenology show much more congruence with the type of this species than do those of the variety tafiensis L. B. Smith. The latter seems more similar to the complex of T zecheri W. Till.

Similar long-stemmed populations of Tillandsia have been described within the species of T ionantha Planchon and are also known to exist in certain high elevation populations of T latifolia var. divaricata Bentham; the latter plant is often a stemless epiphyte at sealevel and a caulescent (to nearly 1 m long) lithophyte at 1500-2500 m in Ecuador.

Edited from : Luther 1996. (protologue) A new Ornamental Tillandsia from Bolivia .