Pico-V.. & Gastelbondo 2017 (Article) Tillandsia, Colombia

A record for the newly described species Tillandsia hansonii (Bromeliaceae) in Bogotá, including initial field studies from Colombia

Author(s):—A. Pico-V. & M Gastelbondo

Publication:—Journal of the Bromeliad Society 66(4): 259-266. (2017)

Abstract:—An unnamed species of Tillandsia from Colombia – the subject of this note - was found in the municipality of Subachoque, Department of Cundinamarca in 2001 (Departamento Administrativo del Medio Ambiente –DAMA-, 2001) and again in 2015 (Pico-V. 2016). The species is an epiphyte with a water-holding tank and all leaf surfaces are covered by a dense layer of gray trichomes, giving it the appearance of an atmospheric Tillandsia. The species was partially described (as Vriesea sp. nov.) by Dr. Julio Betancur of the National University of Colombia, but was never formally published (Betancur, personal communication). The partial description published by DAMA (2001) follows: “Epífita, de 44 a 48 cm de altura. Hojas arrosetadas de 26 a 35 cm de largo, sin pseudopeciolo; lepidotas en ambas superficies, triangulares, de margen entera. Inflorescencia terminal, visible, péndula de 25 a 28 cm de largo, bipinnada, raquis oculto. Brácteas florales imbricadas con carina de 65 mm de largo, más largas que los sépalos, rojas, tomentosas, de ápice recto y margen entera. Flores con pedicelo de 2 a 3 mm de largo, dísticas. Sépalos simétricos de 50 mm de largo, todos libres, todos sin carina. Pétalos de 95 mm de largo con la base crema y el ápice verde limón, con lígula. It is distributed in the humid forests of municipality of Cogua and “The Tablazo” mountain. It has preference for canopy and forest edges”.