Tillandsia buchii Urb.

Taxonomic Change:

• Treated as a synonym of T. fasciculata var. venosispica Mez —See Smith & Downs 1977 p. 949
• Treated as a distinct species —See Gardner 1984a p. 375
• Treated as a synonym of Tillandsia compressa Bertero ex Schultes f. —See Luther & Sieff 1994

Literature references:

Gardner 1982: 131 Smith & Downs 1977: 949

Comments:

• Tillandsia buchii is a small species approximately 24 cm tall, with a broad, simple spike bearing inflated, densely packed floral bracts. Rauh 58542 was examined as a recently collected, living specimen at the University of Heidelberg Botanical Gardens, courtesy of Dr. Werner Rauh. The floral bracts were rusty orange. This species was treated as a synonym of T. fasciculata var. venosispica by Smith and Downs (1977). However, it appears to be a distinct species, differing by its much smaller size and inflated floral bracts; those of T. compressa are strongly complanate and yellow (see T. compressa ). —See Gardner 1984a p. 375