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Key to Tillandsia

Bromeliaceae

Tillandsia

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1 Leaves distichous (2-ranked); inflorescence 1-2 (-3) flowered; [subgenus Diaphoranthema].
  2 Plants in dense, more or less spherical clusters; inflorescence scapose, exserted from the cluster, of (1-) 2 (-3) flowers; corolla violet
  2 Plants in elongate, pendulous festoons; inflorescence sessile, of a single flower; corolla yellowish green
1 Leaves arranged in a close spiral; inflorescence (3-) many-flowered; [subgenus Tillandsia].
    3 Leaves narrowly linear, 1-5 mm wide (-10 mm wide in T. floridana) when measured at mid-length.
      4 Leaf sheaths conspicuously inflated at the base, 1.5-3.5 cm wide at base, the plant pseudobulbous; scapes < 15 cm long.
        5 Scapes 7-17 cm long; [s. TX]
        5 Scapes < 6 cm long; [FL peninsula].
          6 Inflorescence linear to narrowly elliptic in outline; base of floral bracts visible at anthesis
          6 Inflorescence broadly elliptic in outline; base of floral bracts not visible at anthesis
      4 Leaf sheaths slightly or not at all inflated, the plant not pseudobulbous; scapes 8-39 cm long.
             7 Leaf sheaths narrowly elliptic, slightly inflated, 1.2-2.0 cm wide
             7 Leaf sheaths broadly elliptic to triangular, flat, 0.8-2.5 cm wide.
               8 Leaves finely lepidote, appearing green or reddish; floral bracts green or reddish, uniformly lepidote; corolla lavender
               8 Leaves densely and coarsely lepidote, appearing gray; floral bracts rose or red, becoming merely sparsely lepidote toward base; corolla violet.
                 9 Leaves 15-30, not over 0.5 cm wide at mid-length; inflorescence simple or 1-pinnate, with 1-5 branches
                 9 Leaves 20-50, 0.5-1.0 cm wide at mid-length; inflorescence 1-2-pinnate, with 2-10 branches
    3 Leaves broader, 6-35 mm wide when measured at mid-length.
                   10 Leaf sheaths conspicuously inflated, the plant pseudobulbous (narrowed to a 'waist' upwards, above the base thickened by the inflated leaf sheaths).
                     11 Leaf blades and scape bracts twisted, reflexed
                     11 Leaf blades and scape bracts erect to spreading
                   10 Leaf sheaths flat or slightly and broadly channeled, the plant not pseudobulbous (cylindrical or broadened-flaring upwards).
                       12 Floral bracts spreading and/or small, exposing most of the rachis at anthesis.
                          13 Leaves 10-20, spirally twisted, cross-banded green and silver; corolla pink
                          13 Leaves 20-75, not twisted, unicolored; corolla cream
                       12 Floral bracts imbricate, broad, covering all or most of the rachis (the rachis not visible at anthesis).
                            14 Leaves soft and brittle; inflorescence simple or with 1-3 branches; floral bracts 0.6-0.9 cm wide
                            14 Leaves tough and leathery; inflorescence palmately to pinnately branched, with 3-15 branches; floral bracts 1.2-2.0 cm wide.
                              15 Fertile spikes of inflorescence > 10 cm long; floral bracts often 3.0-4.8 cm long
                              15 Fertile spikes of inflorescence < 10 cm long; floral bracts 2-3 cm long.
                                16 Spikes of inflorescence with elongate slender sterile bases covered with sterile bracts
                                16 Spikes of inflorescence with short or absent sterile bases