Tillandsia distachya Baker[as Tillandsia distachya Baker]

Diagnose: —Tillandsia (Platystachys) distachya, Baker, n. sp. Acaulis, foliis 12-15 lanceolatis longe acuminatis subpedalibus facie concavis deorsum tenuiter lepidotis dorso convexis ubique magis lepidotis, pedunculo semipedali ; foliis pluribus linearibus acuminatis bracteato; spicis 2 distichis densis 6-12 floris; bracteis floralibus oblongo-lanceolatis navicularibus glabris arcte imbricatis; calyce bractea paulo breviore sepalis lanceolatis: petalis albis calyce duplo longioribus oblanceolatis haud squamatis: genitalibus breviter exsertis.

Observations: —This is a new species of the large section Platystachys, closely allied to T. polystachya, Linn., and T. fasciculata, Swartz. It was sent by Mr. Gabb from British Honduras to the Kew collection, and flowered here in January, 1880.

Note by Butcher May 2007
Kew are NOT interested in trying to find out why the Holotype is not in Kew data base or has been lost.
Where did this go? It is not in Smith & Downs, Flora Neotropica. I believe it to be a white petalled T. polystachia.

From: "Walter Till"
To: "'derek butcher'"
Subject: AW: Tillandsia polystachia
Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2007 08:10:12 +0200
Dear Derek,
I guess you are right. Did you see that 1896 Mez treats this as a dubious species of which he had seen only a small sterile plant in miserable state nearer to death than to life in Kew while in 1935 he gives a more detailed description than Baker does? In the meantime he must have seen a specimen (?) or illustration (!?).
Best,
Walter
Detail from Baker Handbook of Bromeliaceae1889
84. T. distachya Baker in Gard. Chron. 1880, i. 200
Leaves 12-15 in a dense rosette, ensiform-acuminate from an ovate base an inch broad, above a foot long, not convolute, ¾ in. broad low down, rigidly coriaceous, thinly lepidote. Peduncle ½ ft. long; bract-leaves with long free linear points. Spikes 2, dense, 1½-2 in. long, ½ in. diam. ; flower-bracts oblong-lanceolate, an inch long, not lepidote. Calyx ¾ in. long. Petal-blade oblanceolate, white, ¼ in. long. Stamens longer than the petals.
Hab. Honduras, Gabb ! Described from a living plant that flowered at Kew, Jan., 1880.


Detail from Mez 1935
83. T. valenzuelana A Rich. which interestingly includes as a synonym T. polystachya var. alba Wittm.
84. T. distachya Bak: in Gard. Chron. 1880, I, 200 et Bromel. (1889) 177. –
Acaulis, pedalis, epiphytica. Folia 12-15 rosulata, lanceolata, longe acuminata, subpedalia, vaginis ad 25 mm, laminis medio ad 12 mm latis, facie pallide virentibus concavis, dorso convexis ubique tenuiter magis lepidotis. Scapus semipedalis, erectus, vaginis pluribus linearibus acuminatis falcatis bracteatus. Inflorescentia e spicis 2 distichis, densis, 6-12floris, ad 12 mm latis, terminali 36-50 mm longa composita; bracteis floralibus viridibus, glabris, oblongo-lanceolatis, navicularibus, arcte imbricatis, ad 25 mm longis. Sepala ad 18 mm longa, bracteis paullo breviora, lanceolata, basin usque libera, glabra. Petala alba, sepalis duplo longiora, oblanceolata, ad 6 mm lata. Stamina petalis ad 7 mm longiora; antheris minutis, flavis. Stylus ad 37 mm longus, stigmate contorto.
Britisch Honduras (lebend durch Gabb eingefuhrt).

Edited from : Baker 1880c. (protologue) New Garden Plants. Tillandsia (Platystachys) distachya, Baker, n. sp. .