Gouda 2020j (Article) Tillandsia [German]

A Remarkable New Species and a New Combination for Racinaea (Bromeliaceae) from Peru

Author(s):—E.J. Gouda

Publication:—Die Bromelie 2020(3): 104-109. (2020)

German title:—Eine bemerkenswerte neue Art und eine Neukombination für Racinaea (Bromeliaceae) aus Peru

Abstract:—During a trip to northern Peru in 2015 we discovered a remarkable plant hanging from a branch high up in a tree in the cloud forest at about 1900 m above sea level. The tiny few flowered inflorescence does not resemble any other species of the Tillandsioideae, but the dissected flower does reveal that it is a member of the genus Racinaea, which has been confirmed by DNA analysis of a few leaves by Michael Barfuss and Walter Till. The species that seems to be morphologically the most closely related is Tillandsia schunkei Smith (1974), that was placed in Phytarrhiza (subgenus of Tillandsia), probably because of its non Racinaea like habit. In the differential analysis it was compared with T. caerulea Kunth (1816) that resembles its habit. Because it was not placed in the subgenus Pseudocatopsis, it has not been transferred to Racinaea by Spencer (Spencer & Smith 1993), who only established new names for the species in this group without any taxonomic study. Tillandsia schunkei is only known from two specimens, the type specimen from northern Peru, Tumbes and a specimen from southern Ecuador, Loja and as far as I know, never seen in cultivation.
Here the new species will be described and illustrated, Tillandsia schunkei will be transferred to Racinaea and an emended description and drawing will be presented for this species.

Published names (2):

Racinaea filifolia
Racinaea schunkei