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Tillandsia x cuchnichim R.Guess & V.Guess

Publ: J. Bromeliad Soc. 55(1): 23-27. (2005)

Natural hybrid: Tillandsia carlsoniae and Tillandsia eizii

Type: Mexico. Chiapas: Municipality of Huixtan, near La Libertad, 1900 m, 24 Mar. 2002, R. Guess & V. Guess s. n. (Holotype: NY).

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Distribution: MEXICO; Chiapas

Habitat: epiphytic, growing on oak tree in oak-pine forest, 1900 m. Elev.

Etymology: We selected the name Tillandsia x cuchnichim for this natural hybrid of T. carlsoniae and T. eizii to honor the Tzotzil-speaking Maya of highland Chiapas who have the responsibility of gathering certain flowers, including bromeliads, for use in the religious rites of their indigenous community. In Tzotzil, a Maya language, they are designated as "cuch nichim," those assigned to gather the required plants and flowers for ceremonies: "cuch" refers to responsibility or task, and "nichim" to flower. It was on such a collecting trip that one of these men first noticed what to him was a new and different flowering plant, and presented this bromeliad to us.The epithet is based on a word used in apposition, and therefore to be maintained according to Article 23.1 of the ICBN (Greuter et al., 2000).

Tillandsia x cuchnichim