Total: 55
Often classified as Racinaea abbreviata. It is a mesic species with soft green leaves forming a tank or rosette. It requires different care than typical gray Tillandsias.
Distinctive caulescent species with stiff, polystichous leaves. The long inflorescence features flowers pressed flat against the rachis.
A species native to Mexico, known for its pink scape bracts and blue petals. It grows epiphytically in tropical forests.
Aechmea aguadocensis is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to South America. It is an epiphytic or terrestrial plant forming a rosette of strap-shaped leaves with spiny margins. The inflorescence bears small flowers typical of the genus Aechmea.
Aechmea aiuruocensis is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to Brazil. It forms a rosette of strap-shaped leaves with serrated margins, typical of the genus Aechmea. The species produces an inflorescence with brightly colored bracts and small flowers, characteristic of tank-forming bromeliads that collect water and organic matter in their central cup.
Aechmea alba is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to Brazil. It forms a rosette of strap-shaped, green leaves with spiny margins. The inflorescence is erect, bearing white to pale-colored flowers typical of the genus. Like other members of Aechmea, it is an epiphytic or terrestrial plant adapted to humid tropical environments.
Aechmea alopecurus is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae. It produces a dense, elongated spike inflorescence resembling a foxtail, from which its epithet is derived (alopecurus meaning fox-tail in Greek). The rosette is composed of strap-like, serrated leaves that form a central water reservoir. Flowers are typically pink to red with yellow or white petals.
Recently described species from Peru. Soft-leaved epiphyte found in wet montane forests.
Aechmea amicorum is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae. It is a rosette-forming epiphytic or terrestrial plant with strap-shaped, often spiny-margined leaves that form a central water-holding tank. The inflorescence bears colorful bracts and small flowers typical of the genus Aechmea.
Aechmea ampla is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to South America. It produces broad, strap-shaped leaves with serrated margins that form a rosette capable of holding water in its central tank. The inflorescence is compound, bearing bracts and small flowers typical of the genus.
A small species forming a distinctive spherical rosette of fine, needle-like green leaves radiating outward from a central point, typically 7 to 10 cm in diameter. Predominantly saxicolous, growing on cliff faces, and rarely epiphytic. Produces a single large tubular red flower from the center of the rosette. Leaves may blush orange to red prior to flowering. Taxonomically close to T. funckiana, sharing similar growth form and flower morphology.
Aechmea anomala is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to Brazil. It forms a rosette of strap-shaped, spiny-margined leaves and produces an inflorescence with small flowers. The leaves are typically green and may develop reddish tones under high light conditions.
Aechmea apocalyptica is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to Brazil. It forms a rosette of strap-shaped, green leaves with serrated margins and a prominent central tank that collects water. The inflorescence produces pink to red bracts with small violet or blue flowers. It is an epiphytic or terrestrial plant found in humid Atlantic Forest environments.
A Peruvian species with soft, green leaves that form a loose rosette. The floral bracts are often brightly colored.
Aechmea araneosa is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to Brazil. It forms a rosette of strap-shaped, green leaves with serrated margins. The inflorescence bears small flowers typical of the genus, often with colorful bracts. It is an epiphytic or terrestrial species found in humid Atlantic Forest environments.
A rare species with a pseudobulbous base and relatively smooth leaves. It is related to T. pruinosa but has distinct glabrous or sparsely lepidote foliage.
Aechmea atrovittata is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to Brazil. It forms a rosette of strap-shaped, green leaves with dark cross-banding and serrated margins. The inflorescence bears small flowers on a branched spike, typically with colorful bracts. It is an epiphytic or terrestrial species found in tropical and subtropical forests.
Aechmea azurea is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to Brazil. It is an epiphytic or terrestrial plant with a rosette of strap-shaped, spiny-margined leaves. The inflorescence bears blue flowers, which give the species its name derived from the Latin 'azureus' (sky-blue). The plant produces colorful bracts that persist after flowering.
A miniature species with stiff, gray, distichous leaves growing in a fan shape. It produces fragrant blue to violet flowers and forms spherical clumps.
Native to southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul). A small, grey-leaved epiphyte often found growing in clumps. It has a simple inflorescence with pale blue to violet flowers.
Distributed from the southeastern USA to Mexico. A grassy species with thin, filiform leaves that grows in clumps. It prefers humid habitats like swamps and hammocks.
A green-leaved mesic species from the wettest tropical habitats. Forms rosettes of silver-green leaves and produces violet flowers. Requires higher humidity than many common Tillandsia species. Best grown in greenhouse or terrarium conditions.
Aechmea blumenavii is a bromeliad species in the family Bromeliaceae, native to southern Brazil. It forms a rosette of strap-shaped, serrated leaves and produces an inflorescence with colorful bracts and small flowers. The leaves are typically green with spiny margins.
A small saxicolous or epiphytic species from Mexico. It has succulent, tapering leaves and forms clumps.
Endemic to Puerto Rico. It grows in moist limestone forests and has soft, green leaves, indicating a preference for humid conditions.
Native to Veracruz, Mexico. It forms a tank-type rosette with green leaves that can turn reddish in strong light.
A rare lithophytic species endemic to Rio de Janeiro state in Brazil. The plant has a distinctive form with short, soft, densely lepidote leaves that are dramatically rounded at the tip. It is related to T. gardneri, T. geminiflora, T. kautskyi, and T. sprengeliana. The inflorescence is short and compound with pinkish-red bracts and magenta flowers. In its natural habitat, it grows on nearly vertical rock walls at high elevations, which protects it from collectors.
Native to Ecuador, this species is found in moist forests. It has soft leaves that are often spotted or banded with purple.
A Tillandsia characterized by a bulbous pseudobulb base and long, twisted, tentacle-like leaves. Native to tropical regions from Mexico to Brazil, found in mangrove thickets, open woods, and along riverbanks. The swollen base often houses ant colonies in a mutualistic relationship—the ants provide nutrients while receiving shelter. Blooms with cherry-red bracts and violet tubular flowers. One of the few Tillandsias tolerant of higher humidity and lower airflow, making it suitable for terrariums.
A tank-type epiphyte native to the northern Andes, often reclassified as Racinaea buseri. It has broad, green leaves and inhabits cloud forests.
A small to medium-sized pseudobulbous green-leaved (mesic) species described by Mez in 1935. The leaves are few, soft, long, and sinuous, emerging from a conspicuously swollen pseudobulbous base. The leaf blades are thin, hard, and involute in the upper portion, characteristically mottled with dark brown or reddish-brown irregular markings on a green background. The inflorescence is a slender spike borne on a thin, erect scape, with bright red bracts and tubular blue-violet to purple flowers. The species is myrmecophytic; in its natural habitat, symbiotic ants nest within the broadened leaf bases of the pseudobulb. It grows as an epiphyte, often forming large colonies in humid montane forests from central Mexico to Panama. A variety with pinkish flowers, var. roseiflora, has been described.
Native to Jamaica, restricted to limestone formations. It resembles T. utriculata but is smaller and grows lithophytically.
A small, clump-forming species native to Bolivia and Argentina. It has brownish-gray leaves and produces fragrant, brown-spotted yellow flowers.
A caulescent bromeliad species distinguished by its stem-forming growth habit. Originally described as Cryptanthus caulescens, it was transferred to Rokautskyia in 2017 based on molecular and morphological analyses. The species is characterized by its distinctive stem development, which sets it apart from acaulescent relatives in the Cryptanthoid complex. Endemic to the Atlantic Forest region of eastern Brazil.
Tillandsia celata is a small epiphytic bromeliad native to Brazil. It belongs to the green-leaved (mesic) group and typically grows in humid forest environments. The leaves are soft and green, arranged in a rosette.
Tillandsia chartacea is an epiphytic bromeliad native to Ecuador and Peru. Its name derives from the papery texture ('chartacea' means paper-like) of its floral bracts. It has green to grayish leaves and produces a distinctive flattened inflorescence.
A medium-sized mesic species approximately 25 cm tall, found in montane forests. The gray-green leaves sometimes tint reddish in strong light. The inflorescence is branched with bright red-orange scape bracts and reddish floral bracts coated with a waxy powder, bearing purple flowers. Described by Andre in 1888.
A medium-sized epiphytic bromeliad forming stemless rosettes up to 50 cm wide. The narrow, recurved leaves are dark green with reddish-brown striations at the base. The distinctive paddle-shaped inflorescence features densely packed rose-pink bracts up to 16 cm long, from which fragrant violet-blue flowers emerge successively. The species name "cyanea" refers to the deep blue color of the flowers. Formerly classified as Tillandsia cyanea, it was reassigned to Wallisia in 2016 based on phylogenetic analysis.
A terrestrial bromeliad originally described as Cryptanthus fernseeoides. The specific epithet refers to its resemblance to species of the genus Fernseea. Transferred to Rokautskyia in 2017 based on phylogenetic revisions of the Cryptanthoid complex. Forms rosettes of leaves and occurs in the humid Atlantic Forest understory. Endemic to eastern Brazil.
A medium-sized stemless species forming a dense, rounded rosette of numerous fine, thread-like leaves approximately 7 cm in length. The species name means "thread-leaved." Leaf sheaths are grape-violet to chestnut-colored with small, dispersed trichomes. The inflorescence is bipinnate with many slender spikes bearing small flowers with violet petals. Grows as an epiphyte in seasonally dry tropical forests.
A terrestrial bromeliad characterized by its broad leaves, as indicated by the specific epithet latifolia (Latin for "broad-leaved"). Originally described as Cryptanthus latifolius and transferred to Rokautskyia in 2017. Forms rosettes in the shaded understory of the Atlantic Forest. The wider leaves distinguish this species from narrow-leaved congeners. Endemic to eastern Brazil.
A terrestrial bromeliad originally described as Cryptanthus leuzingerae. The specific epithet honors a person named Leuzinger. Transferred to Rokautskyia in 2017 based on molecular phylogenetic studies of the Cryptanthoid complex. Forms compact rosettes in the understory of the Atlantic Forest. Endemic to eastern Brazil and found in humid forest environments.
A delicate terrestrial bromeliad characterized by narrow leaves with scalloped margins and soft spines. Originally described as Cryptanthus microglazioui in 1998 and transferred to Rokautskyia in 2017. The specific epithet refers to its resemblance to Cryptanthus glazioui but in smaller form. Develops a branching stem reaching approximately 15 cm. Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Espírito Santo state, Brazil.
A terrestrial bromeliad notable for its highly fragrant flowers, as indicated by the specific epithet odoratissima (Latin superlative meaning "most fragrant"). Originally described as Cryptanthus odoratissimus and transferred to Rokautskyia in 2017. Members of the former Cryptanthus subgenus Hoplocryptanthus, to which this species shows affinity, are characterized by perfumed flowers. Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil.
A terrestrial bromeliad originally described as Cryptanthus pseudoglaziovii in 1991. The specific epithet indicates its resemblance to Cryptanthus glaziovii while being a distinct species. Transferred to Rokautskyia in 2017 based on phylogenetic analyses. Forms rosettes in the humid understory of the Atlantic Forest. Endemic to Espírito Santo state in southeastern Brazil.
A terrestrial bromeliad characterized by an elongated flowering scape, though less prominent than in Rokautskyia scaposa. Originally described as Cryptanthus pseudoscaposus by L.B. Smith and transferred to Rokautskyia in 2017. The specific epithet means "false scapose," indicating a resemblance to scapose species while having distinct characteristics. Endemic to the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil.
A large, impressive species native to Mexico. It features wide, green leaves and produces a tall, branched inflorescence with distinctive salmon-colored bracts.
A Mexican species featuring a somewhat bulbous base and soft, spreading leaves. It produces a distinctive inflorescence with broad floral bracts.
A saxicolous or epiphytic species native to Honduras and Guatemala. It forms a rosette of gray-green leaves and produces a long, pendulous inflorescence with striking red or pink bracts.
An epiphytic species found in Mexico and Honduras. It features narrow, green to gray-green leaves and a flattened inflorescence. It usually grows in pine-oak forests.
A mesic species native to Guatemala and Mexico. It features a bulbous base and soft green leaves. The inflorescence has red bracts and violet petals.
A highly adaptable and popular air plant with narrow triangular leaves forming thick rosettes. Produces bright red or rose bloom spikes with blue-purple flowers. One of the most widely cultivated Tillandsia species.
Known as Spanish moss, with the widest distribution of any bromeliad, ranging from the southeastern United States to Argentina. Forms long, hanging festoons of slender, grayish-green stems up to 6 meters or more, draping from tree branches. Despite its common name, it is neither Spanish nor a moss, but a true flowering bromeliad. An epiphyte that absorbs all moisture and nutrients through its silvery trichome-covered leaves. Provides habitat for wildlife including birds, bats, and specialized spiders. Historically used for mattress stuffing, insulation, and crafts.
An epiphytic species endemic to the Central Mexican Plateau. Forms rosettes of leaves and grows primarily on large trees in humid temperate forests, particularly on Abies religiosa, Quercus rugosa, and Quercus laurina. The species name "violacea" refers to the violet coloration of the flowers. Due to its high-elevation habitat, this species exhibits tolerance to sub-freezing conditions, distinguishing it from most other Tillandsia species.
A terrestrial bromeliad originally described as Cryptanthus whitmanii by Elton Leme in 1994. The specific epithet honors a person named Whitman. Transferred to Rokautskyia in 2017 based on molecular phylogenetic analyses of the Cryptanthoid complex. Forms rosettes in the understory of the Atlantic Forest. Endemic to Espírito Santo state in southeastern Brazil.