Tillandsia pedicellata
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Tillandsia pedicellata
From Andrew Flower...
"photos are of a T. pedicellata that flowered here a couple of weeks ago. Grown from seed supplied by Eric Gouda in 2001 (his collection number EG-995-66; 96GR-27).
If you look at the flowers in pic 01, you would be excused for wondering why on earth anyone would name it "stalky" - "pedicel" is one group of taxonomist's label for a flower stalk. Uncle D has an interesting theory that it may be because of the giant pedicel the plant puts out if fertilised - see pic 02. Plant is 21mm high, mature pedicel is 35.75mm long, then seed pod a further 21mm long! (measured with digital calipers).
Measurements on the scale bars in pic 2 look out of sync - this is because the pedicel is quite heavily bowed, not straight as it appears in the photo.
One of nature's giants!"
Updated 22/08/11
