Tillandsia billbergiae (Lem.) Baker
Status: Synonym
Publ: J. Bot. 26: 48 (1888)
Taxonomic Change:
- Finally, we suggest that the name Vriesea billbergiae Lem. (Tillandsia billbergiae (Lem.) Baker) should probably be excluded from the synonymy of T. viridiflora because the original description of the former mentioned the presence of a “gland” at the base of petals: “... [segmentis] internis basi ima glandula maxima rotundato-biloba tenuissima instructis ...”. This character is not present in any species of Tillandsia and we think that this name eventually will be assigned to some species of Vriesea Lindl., as this genus in its current circumscription is separated from Tillandsia solely on floral characters (Till, 2000). However, as the description could be wrong, it will be necessary to study the type specimen (Type: Ghiesbreght in Verschaffelt Hortus, Ghent, no date, Mexico) in order to confidently exclude the name. —See Kromer et al. 2012 p. 99: 16
