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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 < 6 cm long; [FL peninsula].
          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).
                   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.
                       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.

Key L: epiphytic angiosperms {Note that epiphytic Pteridophytes are not re-keyed here; seek them in Keys A4 and A6}

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1 Stems yellow to bright orange, lacking leaves
1 Stems green or brown, with leaves (scale-like or larger).
  2 Leaves opposite, orbicular or oblanceolate, rounded at the apex; [Eudicots]
  2 Leaves alternate, either orbicular or oblanceolate (rounded at the apex), or scale-like, or elongate and tapering, or lanceolate-elliptic.
    3 Leaves orbicular, rounded at the apex; [Basal Angiosperms]
    3 Leaves either scale-like, or elongate and tapering, or lanceolate-elliptic; [Monocots].
      4 Plants long-pendent, growing in variously abundant clumps draped along the branches of trees, the leaves densely gray and scaly
      4 Plants primarily erect, not long-pendent nor growing as long pendent clumps draping from trees or other hosts, the leaves variously colored and textured (including sometimes gray and scaly).
        5 Leaves either scale-like or elongate and tapering (the leaves often erect and stiffened); plants with bulbous bases but lacking pseudobulbs (often, but not always with a "vase-like" appearance in which water pools); flowers radially symmetrical
        5 Leaves lanceolate-elliptic; plants with variously-shaped bases, often bearing pseudobulbs (although not always); flowers bilaterally symmetrical, the corolla bearing a specialized lip (labellum)