Considered a natural hybrid of Tillandsia argentina and Tillandsia tenuifolia that are unrelated to each other. Test of pollen germination of the clonotype (2011GR01038) showed 0% germination against fulll germinatin of pollen of Aechmea recurvata on the same plate. (Personal communication with EG)
This interesting new species was collected by Dr. Helmut Hromadnik and his wife, Lotte, of Austria, on 24 July 1979 in Bolivia, Dept. of Tarija, near Narvaez. It was found growing on steep rocks with Tillandsia maxima in a xerophytic forest. Specimens collected at that time flowered first in J anuary 1982 and again in February 1984 in the collection of Peter Schneider, Greiz, G .D.R.
Walter Till considers this to be a natural hybrid with T. argentina and T. tenuifolia as both are common in the type locality. This is also the thought of Renate Ehlers, Lotte Hromradnik, Frank Hasse and Ewald Heger who have visited the type locality. —SeeJ. Bromeliad Soc.
