1. Leaves green.
2. Upper side of leaves lepidote. var acaulis
2. Upper side of leaves glabrous. var argenteus. Luther suggests a form of sinuosus
1. Leaves tinged with red. var ruber —SeeSmith & Downs 1979
THE REAL ONE by Harry E Luther in Cryptanthus Soc Journ 18(3): 77-78. 2001
The illustration from the Botanical Register (Plate 1157) in 1828 represents the type of Cryptanthus acaulis. Similar material, perhaps clonotypic, still exists in cultivation.
In her revision of Cryptanthus, Ivon Ramirez (1996) applied a very broad species concept in her treatment of C. acaulis. She included in that taxon species that others had accepted as distinct (i.e., C. sinuosus and C. dorothyae).
Although I initially accepted Ivon's proposal, further study has convinced me that several distinct entities had been combined.
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Cryptanthus dorothyae is a member of a complex including C. marginatus and C. grazielae. They all have bicolorous sepals.
Cryptanthus sinuosus and an undescribed species form a complex distinguished by bicolorous leaves ( nearly glabrous above, white-lepidote below) and frequent production of slender stolons. These taxa occur on the coast north of the city of Rio de Janeiro in Rio state. They are common in the field and the herbarium and are represented by many distinct clones in horticulture (i.e., 'Cascade').
Cryptanthus acaulis in the strict sense is very common in horticulture but is represented by only a few distinct clones. All are small to medium (4 to 15 cm in diameter) densely leaved rosettes with densely lepidote foliage, both above and below. The all green forms (var. acaulis) are actually a blue-grey-green. To my knowledge, these kinds of plants have not been recently collected in the wild or at least no preserved voucher specimens have been made. For this reason, Ivon discounted their existence and based her concept of C. acaulis on material that in my opinion, represents C. sinuosus. At any rate, material matching the type illustration of C. acaulis does exist (in cultivation) and cannot be ignored.
Plants with adaxially glabrous leaves (C. acaulis var. argenteus) are probably better treated with C. sinuosus. Several different clones of the var. ruber exist in cu1tivation and at least one (the cultivar 'Timothy Plowman') was wild collected. These plants are generally smaller with narrower leaves tinged brown or red.
I encourage Brazilian collectors to try and relocate populations of typical C. acaulis; in other words, p1ants that look like Plate 1157; so that we may be able to better understand the various populations of Cryptanthus native to the vicinity of the city of Rio de Janeiro.
(Editor's note: Below is a reprinting of the original introduction of Tillandsia (Cryptanthus) acaulis. Lindley, J. Botanical Registry. 14, 1828. Thanks to Harry Luther for providing this article)
A pretty little epiphyte, native of Rio Janeiro, for which we are indebted to Mrs. Arnold Harrison, who obligingly communicated it in August 1827.
It never grows more than 3 or 4 inches high, producing suckers freely, by which it is easily increased. If suffered to grow without these being removed, it soon forms broad patches hanging over the sides of the pot. Its leaves are a dull sea green; its flowers white, in a sessile cluster in the bosom of the leaves; they appear at uncertain seasons, chiefly in March, April and August.
Requires the heat of the stove, and a light, sandy, poor soil.
J.L. —SeeJ. Crypt. Soc.
