Tillandsia circinnatoides
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Tillandsia circinnatoides
Ken Woods 08/04
Chris Larson 11/17
Chris Larson 11/18
Chris Larson '17 ... "I find this one very difficult to grow. From the disc “Distribution: On cacti, trees, and bushes in dry areas, 600-1500 m alt, south-central Mexico, Costa Rica.” “Harry Luther in 1995 does not believe the Costa Rica collection is authentic.” I wonder if any of the plants from 1500m would survive better."
Chris Larson 09/21


Tillandsia circinnatoides Matuda, Cact. & Succul. Jour. (U. S.) 45: 187, fig. 4, 4a, 5. 1973.
Descr from S&D p998
Plant stemless, often densely aggregated, flowering 10-20 cm high.
Leaves few, coarsely sulcate, 7-16 cm long, covered with coarse, appressed cinereous scales;
Sheaths large, ovate, forming a narrow pseudobulb, merging into the blades, the outer ones reduced and bladeless;
Blades narrowly triangular, involute subulate, curved.
Scape erect, short and hidden by the leaves.
Inflorescence simple, lance-oblong, attenuate, curved, 5-10 cm long, 15-20 mm wide, complanate.
Floral bracts densely imbricate, elliptic, broadly acute, 2-3 cm long, exceeding the sepals, carinate at apex, strongly nerved, thin, roseate, densely lepidote;
Flowers subsessile.
Sepals lanceolate, to 25 mm long, chartaceous, lepidote, free or the posterior short-connate;
Petals tubular-erect, 40 mm long, blue to dark violet;
Stamens and style long-exserted.
Capsule subtrigonous-cylindric, to 35 mm long.
Type. Matuda 38432 (holotype MEXU, isotype US), dry ravine near Chilpancingo, 1500 m alt, Guerrero, Mexico, 22 Feb 1972.
DISTRIBUTION. On cacti, trees, and bushes in dry areas, 600-1500 m alt, south-central Mexico, Costa Rica.
MEXICO. PUEBLA: near Coxcatlan, Cerro Ajuereado, Jul 1961, C. E. Smith et al 3594 (! Matuda); Matamoros, 1941, Miranda 1402 (! Matuda). MEXICO: Zacuapan, 5 Nov 1953, Matuda 32213 (MEXU, US). GUERRERO: Canon del Zopilote, north of Venta Vieja, km 263 on Chilpancingo-Mexcala highway, 23 Aug 1948, Moore & Wood 4740 (BH, US). OAXACA: Rauh 15913 (HEID, US); Cuicatlan to Tomellin, 1945, Miranda 4661 (! Matuda); Acatlan, 21 Mar 1960, Van Hyning 6043 (US). COSTA RICA. Guanacaste: Port Parker, 4 Jul1932, Howell s n (GH).
NOTE. It has not been possible to reverify all material cited under Tillandsia circinnata Schlechtendal since the publication of T. circinnatoides Matuda. It is possible that some specimens of the latter species are not yet discovered.

Harry Luther in 1995 does not believe the Costa Rica collection is authentic.


Updated 06/09/21