Tillandsia bulbosa

Tillandsia bulbosa Hook.

Family: Bromeliaceace

Habit: Tillandsia bulbosa grows without discernible stems in clumps of 2 – 4 pseudobulbs.. The leaves are covered with gray lepidote scales. The leaves are to 25 cm in length. The leaf bases are appressed to form a bulb like appearance with the ends of the leaves at a distinct angle from the base and twisted.  They have an acuminate leaf apex and entire margin.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flowers are arranged in a spike with 3-5 flowers, to 5 cm in length, each subtended by a bract. The greenish bracts are linear to ovate with an acute apex and are equal to or longer than the length of the calyx. There are 3 green unfused sepals in the calyx.  There are 3 blue/purple petals in the corolla.  There are 6 stamens that are longer than the petals.  The ovary is superior with 3 locules and numerous seeds.  The stamens are exerted from the flower. The fruit is a capsule. Each seed has a tuft of hair to assist in dispersal.

Habitat: Tillandsia bulbosa grow on trees in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation – Forests (coppice).

Distribution: Tillandsia bulbosa occurs on Andros, Abaco, and Grand Bahama, the Caribbean, and Central and northern South America.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Tillandsia bulbosa is not known to be used medicinally use in the Lucayan Archipelago.