Tillandsia recurvata

Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L.

Common Names: Thread Leaved Wild Pine

Family: Bromeliaceace

Habit: Tillandsia recurvata grows as an epiphyte as a series of connected plants with stem between them visible in clusters. The leaves are covered with gray lepidote scales. The base of 2-3 leaves forms a pseudobulb/stem less than 1 mm in diameter. The leaves are 2-ranked, recurved, to 18 cm in length and to 3 mm in width, without a distinction from leaf base to leaf, with an acuminate leaf apex and a ciliate margin.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in spikes leaf axils, each subtended by a bract typically with 1-5 flowers. The greenish bract is linear to ovate with an acute or apiculate apex and is equal to or shorter than the length of the calyx. There are 3 green unfused sepals in the calyx.  There are 3 light violet to white, unfused petals in the corolla.  There are 6 stamens that are not longer than the petals.  The ovary is superior with 3 locules and numerous seeds.  The fruit is a capsule. Each seed has a tuft of hair to assist in dispersal.

Habitat: Tillandsia recurvata grow on shrubs and trees in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Forests and Shrublands (coppice and scrublands).

Distribution: Tillandsia recurvata occurs throughout the island groupings within the Lucayan Archipelago, the southern United States, the entire Caribbean region, and Mexico south to America.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Tillandsia recurvata is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.