Tillandsia tenebra     L. Hromadnik & W.Till   Die Bromelie 2/1991 :32 (1991)

 

Plant- making a stem, growing in small groups on rock

Leaf- very densely distichous, the stem hidden, 4 to 6cm long.

Leaf sheath- 14mm wide at base, wholly covering the stem 10 to 12mm high inside and outside, near the base densely scaled as is the blade.

Leaf blade- thick, succulent, stiff, in cross section 4-5mm (high and wide) the bottom strongly flattened more or less semicircular, reflexed from near the sheath thence grooved, awl-like acuminate, in a soft, bent at the top, tapering to the tip. Leaf edges above the sheath are fimbriate. Leaf scales roundish and very dense, sessile with imbricate overlapping edges.

Scape- naked, one scape bract at the bottom 2 to4.5cm long

Inflorescence- terminal, simple 1-2 flowered (rarely 3).

Rhachis- straight, scaled, internodes 2.5 to 4mm long (up to 6.5mm).

Flower- almost sessile, distichous, strongly scented.

Flower bracts- oval, rarely thin triangular, tipped or with very short spreading remains, sca1ed. (12) 14 to 16 (18) nerved, (7) 10 to 12 (15) mm long, (6.1) 6.9 to 8mm wide.

Sepal- broad linear lance-like, acuminate, scaled at the tip and along the nerves, uniformly almost free as the posterior joined at a minimal height, 8-10 nerved (8.8) 9.5 to 11 (11.5) mm long, (2.9) 3.5 to 4.2 (4.6) mm wide.

Petal- smooth, spoon shaped, a few develop the top third into a roundish oval plate, narrow at the base, with a wider rounder tip, broadest in the top third, with raphides, ridges or joins, 9 nerved, (13.5) 14 to 15.2 mm long, (3.5) 3.7 to 4.2 mm wide, dark brown violet.

Anther- (2.7) 3.3 to 3.9 mm long, 0.5 to 0.7 diameter, filament joined at base, pale, one nerved, (3.8) 4.2 to 5 mm long, 0.2 mm wide,

Style- column almost conical 1/3 to 1/4 as wide as the ovary, 1.1 to 1.5 mm long 0.5 to 0.8 mm diameter.

Stigma- smooth topped, broader than the style.

Gynoecium- 4.6 to 6 (7.9) mm long.

Ovary- an upside down cylindrical cone, quickly narrowing to the style, 3.4 to 4 (6) mm long, 2 to 2.5 (3) mm diam.,

 

Habitat- Generally on rocks in Province of La Roja, Catamarca and Buenos Aires between 850 m and 1900 m on its own.

 

Differs from T. gilliesii in that it has

1. longer distichous very densely imbricate leaves which are flat towards the base.

2. Softer and longer leaf blades.

3. Fragrant flowers.

4. Much reflexed petal blade black-violet brown

 

Differs from T. caliginosa in that it has

1. Shorter, stiffer and succulent, densely appressed lepidote imbricate leaves which are flat towards the base.

2. The shorter glabrous scape.

3. Shorter more compact inflorescence of 1 to 2 (rarely 3) flowers

4. Shorter floral bracts