Tillandsioideae

Tillandsioideae is a subfamily of plants in the bromeliad family Bromeliaceae. This subfamily contains the greatest number of species (about 1,400). Most are epiphytic or lithophytic, growing in trees or on rocks where they absorb water and nutrients from the air. Spanish moss of the genus Tillandsia is a well-known species. Bromeliads in the genera Guzmania and Vriesea are the more commonly cultivated members of this subfamily.

Tillandsioideae
Tillandsia fasciculata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Bromeliaceae
Subfamily: Tillandsioideae
Harms[1]
Genera

See text.

Description

Nearly all bromeliads have specialized cell groups called trichomes which form scales on the foliage. The trichomes occurring on Tillandsioideae may cover the plants so completely that they appear grey or white, like Spanish moss. In addition to absorbing nutrients, the trichomes may serve to insulate the plant from freezing weather.

Plants in this group have smooth or entire leaf margins, unusual color and markings, with many producing fragrant flowers. All their leaves are spineless (unarmed) and their fruit is a dry capsule containing winged seeds which are usually dispersed by breezes. Feathery seed plumes help them to adhere to a suitable epiphytic surface for germination. This subfamily is probably the most derived with special adaptations for survival in very dry conditions, with many described as xerophytes.

Taxonomy

Phylogeny and classification

Tillandsioideae is the largest of the subfamilies of the family Bromeliaceae, with upwards of 1,400 species. Molecular phylogenetic studies from 1997 onwards repeatedly showed the monophyly of the subfamily. However, the division of the subfamily into genera has varied considerably. A 1997 monograph used six genera: Catopsis, Glomeropitcairnia, Guzmania, Mezobromelia, Tillandsia and Vriesea. Other genera were later segregated from Tillandsia and Vriesea, of which three, Alcantarea, Racinaea, and Werauhia, gained general acceptance. Molecular phylogenetic studies from 2001 onwards showed that Mezobromelia, Tillandsia and Vriesea in particular were not monophyletic, and that the circumscription of other accepted genera was problematic in relation to these three genera. A major monograph published in 2016 used plastid and nuclear DNA as well as morphological characters to produce a new phylogeny and classification for the subfamily. Their preferred cladogram is shown below.[2]

Tillandsioideae
Noncore Tillandsioideae
Glomeropitcairnieae

Glomeropitcairnia

Catopsideae

Catopsis

Core Tillandsioideae
Vrieseeae
Vrieseinae

Alcantarea

Stigmatodon

Vriesea s.s.

Cipuropsidinae

Jagrantia

Lutheria

Werauhia

Goudaea

Zizkaea

Cipuropsis s.l.

Josemania

Cipuropsis-Mezobromelia complex

Tillandsieae

Gregbrownia

Guzmania

Pseudalcantarea s.s.

Barfussia

Lemeltonia

Wallisia

Racinaea

Tillandsia

The 2016 study was unable to fully resolve the two genera Cipuropsis and Mezobromelia because the type species of Cipuropsis, Cipuropsis subandina, was not available for study.[2] In 2017, Gouda added a new species to Cipuropsis (Cipuropsis asmussii) and clarified the distinction between Cipuropsis and Mezobromelia, leaving the former with three species.[3] As of November 2022, the Encyclopaedia of Bromeliads accepted both genera, as well as the closely related Josemania,[1] whereas Plants of the World Online treated all three in the single broadly defined genus Cipuropsis – marked as Cipuropsis s.l. on the cladogram above.[4] Waltillia was not included in the 2016 study as a separate genus, but is accepted by both the Encyclopaedia of Bromeliads[1] and Plants of the World Online.[5]

The classification produced by the 2016 monograph uses four tribes, Catopsideae, Glomeropitcairnieae, Tillandsieae and Vrieseeae, the last of which is divided into two subtribes, Cipuropsidinae and Vrieseinae.[2]

Genera

Genera placed in the subfamily as of October 2022 by the Encyclopaedia of Bromeliads are listed below.[1] Plants of the World Online did not accept Josemania and Mezobromelia, sinking them into Cipuropsis.[4] Tribe and subtribe placements are from the 2016 monograph and the Encyclopaedia of Bromeliads.[2][1]

ImageGenusTribe and subtribe
Alcantarea (E.Morren ex Mez) Harms.Vrieseeae: Vrieseinae
Barfussia Manzan. & W.TillTillandsieae
Catopsis Griseb.Catopsideae
Cipuropsis UleVrieseeae: Cipuropsidinae
GlomeropitcairniaGlomeropitcairnieae
Goudaea W.Till & BarfussVrieseeae: Cipuropsidinae
Gregbrownia W.Till & BarfussTillandsieae
Guzmania Ruiz & Pav.Tillandsieae
x Guzlandsia Gouda (Guzmania × Tillandsia)Tillandsieae
Jagrantia Barfuss & W.TillVrieseeae: Cipuropsidinae
Josemania W.Till & BarfussVrieseeae: Cipuropsidinae
Lemeltonia Barfuss & W.TillTillandsieae
Lutheria Barfuss & W.TillVrieseeae: Cipuropsidinae
Mezobromelia L.B.SmithVrieseeae: Cipuropsidinae
Pseudalcantarea (Mez) Pinzón & BarfussTillandsieae
RacinaeaTillandsieae
Stigmatodon Leme, G.K.Br. & BarfussVrieseeae: Vrieseinae
Tillandsia L.Tillandsieae
Vriesea Lindl.Vrieseeae: Vrieseinae
Wallisia (Regel) É.MorrenTillandsieae
Waltillia Leme, Barfuss & HalbritterVrieseeae: Vrieseinae
Werauhia J.R.GrantVrieseeae: Cipuropsidinae
Zizkaea W.Till & BarfussVrieseeae: Cipuropsidinae

References

  1. Gouda, Eric J.; Butcher, D.; Gouda, C.S. (2022), "subfam. Tillandsioideae Harms", Encyclopaedia of Bromeliads, Utrecht University Botanic Gardens, retrieved 2022-10-26
  2. Barfuss, Michael H.J.; Till, Walter; Leme, Elton M.C.; Pinzón, Juan P.; Manzanares, José M.; Halbritter, Heidemarie; Samuel, Rosabelle & Brown, Gregory K. (2016-10-13), "Taxonomic revision of Bromeliaceae subfam. Tillandsioideae based on a multi-locus DNA sequence phylogeny and morphology", Phytotaxa, 279 (1): 1, doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.279.1.1
  3. Gouda, E.J. (2017), "A new species of Cipuropsis, and some remarks about this recently resurrected genus", Journal of the Bromeliad Society, 66 (2): 75–86
  4. "Cipuropsis Ule", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2022-10-27
  5. "Waltillia Leme, Barfuss & Halbritt.", Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2022-11-01
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