Tillandsia

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Tillandsia

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Description

Acaulescent or caulescent herbs of very variable habit. Leaves rosulate or fasciculate or distributed along a stem, polystichous (all the Guiana species except T. usneoides) or distichous, entire; blades ligulate to narrowly triangular or linear; leaf scales radially symmetric or produced at one side. Inflorescence various, usually of distichous-flowered spikes or sometimes reduced to a single polystichous-flowered spike by the reduction of the spikes to single flowers or rarely the whole inflorescence reduced to a single flower; scape usually distinct; floral bracts conspicuous to minute. Flowers perfect, short-pedicellate or sessile; sepals convolute, usually symmetric, free or joined; petals free, naked; stamens of various length relative to the petals and to the pistil; ovary superior, glabrous; ovules usually many, caudate. Capsule septicidal; coma at the base of the seeds, always white, straight.