Tillandsia imperialis E.Morren ex Roezl

Taxonomic Change:

• Listed as synonym of Tillandsia strobilantha Baker —See Baker 1853 p. 180
• Listed as synonym of Tillandsia strobilantha Baker —See Andre 1889 p. 100

Literature references:

Baensch & Baensch 1994: 22,207 BSA (Web) Claus 2017b: 61 Die Bromelie: 2019(1): 25, 40: 2002:1,17 : 1981:124b: 2013(3): 141 FCBS (Web) Gardner 1986b: 9:141 Golinski 1997 J. Bromeliad Soc.: 10:83 18:72 46:74 47:193,197,240p 57:10 Labuda Till.-cal.: 1995 Mendoza 2005: 76, 78 Morren Icons: kew OV-3*: kew OV-1*: kew 12-405*: kew 12-414*: kew 12-489*: kew 12-490* Oliva-Esteve 2000a: 224 Phillips 2020b: 166 Phillips 2020b: 166 Rauh 1979c: pl.14 Rauh 1981, 1990: Farbb. 14 Richter 1962, 1978: 336c,357 Roguenant 2001: 425 Röth & Weber 1991: 136 Shimizu & Takizawa 1998: 21,59

Shimizu 1992: 19 Smith & Downs 1977: 908,911: 909*: 908* Steens 2003: 142 Takizawa 1998 Tropicos Veliz 2010: 45* Zaghini 2000: 45

*move your mouse pointer over the page numbers to see comment

Comments:

• by Miguel J. Chazaro & Burl L. Mostul in J Brom Soc 1997 p195-8
  
  This is the second of a series of articles on some of the interesting taxa of Bromeliaceae found in central Mexico. We hope to provide specific data and photos of the plants observed in habitat.
  
  In 1866, the French botanist E. Bourgeau was collecting plants in the vicinity of Orizaba in the State of Veracruz, eastern Mexico. His collection number, Bourgeau 2389 became the holotype of Tillandsia imperialis and is now deposited in the Kew Herbarium, London, England.
  
  Bourgeau was a naturalist stationed at Orizaba for a year during the French intervention in Mexico between 1864 and 1867 (known to the French as the Maxmillian of Hapsburg Empire ). Some Mexican plants, especially some found in the Orizaba region, were named after him including Tillandsia bourgaei, Agave bourgaei, Sedum bourgaei, Arenaria bourgaei, Vitis bourgeana and others.
  
  Tillandsia imperialis was first named by the Belgian botanist Edouard Morren and later validated by Benedict Roezl in 1881.
  
  The name Tillandsia strobilantha, described by Baker in 1888, should be regarded as a synonym since it was also based on the collection Bourgeau 2389 located in the Kew Herbarium (Smith & Downs, 1977).
  
  The specific epithet for T imperialis chosen by Morren is an appropriate one because of the regal appearance of this bromeliad.
  
  Orizaba is an industrial city located at the southeastern edge ( on the leeward slopes) of Volcan Pico de Orizaba, that at 5700 masl (17,100 feet), is the highest point in Mexico. It is snow-capped the year round.
  
  At elevations between 1400-2700 m (4200-8100 feet), moist air coming from the Gulf of Mexico condenses and forms frequent fog that shrouds the woodlands in this belt. The cloud forest formed consists primarily of pine (Pinus patula) and oak (Quercus laurina). This is the home of Tillandsia imperialis. It is an epiphytic species found abundantly on the branches and boles of trees of the cloud forest. We have even seen it growing on lianas in nearby ravines.
  
  We have also seen and collected this plant at Cofre de Perote Volcano (west of Xalapa); Sierra de Chiconquicaco (north of Xalapa); both in the central part of Veracruz State, the easternmost section of the trans-Mexican belt; as well as at Sierra de Huayacocotla (part of the cretaceous limestone of the eastern Sierra Madre) in northern Veracruz.
  
  Its common name is "Suchil" an Aztec word meaning flower.
  
  The blue flowers appear from December to April (Chazaro, 1987 & 1988), protruding from between bright-red bracts on a stout, cylindrical inflorescence.
  
  We have collected it at Rincon Grande on January 22, 1983 and on December 29, 1989 (both in bloom); and on the trail from Ayahualuico, Veracruz to Patlanalan, Puebla, on April 9th, 1983, also in bloom.
  
  In November and December people from rural areas occasionally collect Tillandsia imperialis to be used to decorate Nativities as well as religious arches placed in front of churches and shrines. To quote Graf (1978): "Tillandsia imperialis; showy epiphyte at home at 5,000-8,000 feet altitude, and largely used by Mexicans at Christmas time to decorate for their Natividad, because of the festive spirit radiated by the flaming red central inflorescence, looking like a candle or slender cone; remaining in brilliant color through summer into winter; flower purple; the dense formal rosette of broad smooth leathery leaves a pleasing light green, about 1.5 ft. long."
  
  The geographical distribution of the plant follows the oriental side of the eastern Sierra Madre (Hidalgo and Oaxaca) and the eastern portion of the transMexican volcanic belt (at Pico de Orizaba or Citlaltepetl volcano and Cofre de Perote volcano) as well as a disjunct population occurring in El Salvador ( According to Harry Luther, Director of the Bromeliad Identification Center at Selby Gardens, the citation for this locality may be T. candelifera Rohweder.)
  
  The range of distribution is from Smith and Downs (1977), McVaugh (1985), and Garcia-Franco (1987), however we disagree with them on some points.
  
  We agree on these localities: Hidalgo, Zacualtipan to Tlangistengo, Moore 2376; Veracruz, Orizaba, Botter 333, Oaxaca, Villa Alta, Reko 4013; El Salvador: Santa Ana, Cerro Miramundo, Matapan, Carlson 929.4
  
  We disagree with the Garcia-Franco (1987) report from Nueva Leon since there is not a voucher specimen.
  
  We also question the Jalisco report given by Smith & Downs (1977) as well McVaugh (1989); east side at 6700 feet, Nevada de Colima volcano, 13 July, 1985, Goldsmith 26 (US). We believe there was either a misidentification or mixed label since it is very far west from the rest of its range in eastern Mexico. Furthermore, we and other modern collectors have visited this volcano several times and have never found it.
  
  We also question the accuracy of the Arsene 1922 (US) collection ( cited by Smith & Downs 1977), not seen) reportedly to have come from Puebla, Puebla, because this town is so far inland (in a mountain rain shadow), and is too dry a habitat for Tillandsia imperialis, a plant that loves moisture. Perhaps Arsene used Puebla not as a specific locality but a huge region, since we are sure that Tillandsia imperialis could grow at Teziutlan and Zacapoaxtla, Puebla State, 6080 km further east than Puebla City. Being in the eastern Sierra Madre its climate is appropriate.
  
  We would like to point out that all the exsiccata (herbarium specimens ) cited by Smith & Downs (1977) are fairly old (1950's and earlier). We wonder why this is. Tillandsia imperialis is certainly not a rare plant. It is fairly abundant locally. We presume there must be more recent specimens. This taxon was not included among the rare, threatened or endangered species of Mexican plants given by Vovides (1981); however SEDESOL (1994) considers it a threatened species. —See Mez 1935 p. 32: 482