Click the number at the start of a key lead to highlight both that lead and its corresponding lead. Click again to show only the two highlighted leads. Click a third time to return to the full key with the selected leads still highlighted.
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 |