Tillandsia caput-medusae is a species of flowering plant in the bromeliad family, Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. Common names include octopus plant and medusa's head. An epiphyte native to Central America and Mexico, T. caput-medusae is a commonly cultivated bromeliad species. The thick, channeled, tapering and twisting leaves are up to 25 cm (9.8 in) long and are covered in fine gray hairs. The rosette of leaves arise from an inflated pseudobulb. Pups are produced after blooming, as is usual with most Tillandsia species.
| Tillandsia caput-medusae | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Bromeliaceae |
| Genus: | Tillandsia |
| Subgenus: | Tillandsia subg. Tillandsia |
| Species: | T. caput-medusae
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| Binomial name | |
| Tillandsia caput-medusae | |
In a greenhouse, the plants can bloom from spring to early summer. The red inflorescences are usually unbranched or digitate. Bright violet flowers are about 3.2 cm (1.3 in) long with the stamens exerted.[2]
Tillandsia caput-medusae does not have any free water retention in its overlapping leaves because its abaxial and adaxial leaf bases provides trichomes which coats the leaves.[3] The significance of trichome is to enhance leaf permeability.[3]
Cultivars
edit- Tillandsia 'Bruce Aldridge' (T. caput-medusae × T. schiedeana)
- Tillandsia 'Calum' (T. caput-medusae × T. brachycaulos)
- Tillandsia 'Canina' (T. bulbosa × T. caput-medusae)
- Tillandsia 'Cheryl' (T. caput-medusae × T. capitata 'Peach')
- Tillandsia 'Como' (T. streptophylla × T. caput-medusae)
- Tillandsia 'Gunalda' (T. concolor × T. caput-medusae)
- Tillandsia 'Imbil' (T. brachycaulos × T. caput-medusae)
- Tillandsia 'June Bug' (T. caput-medusae × T. bulbosa)
- Tillandsia 'Litl Liz' (T. caput-medusae × T. streptophylla)
- Tillandsia 'Panuco' (T. caput-medusae × T. durangensis)
- Tillandsia 'Pomona' (T. caput-medusae × T. ionantha)
- Tillandsia 'Red Slippers' (T. ionantha var. van-hyningii × T. caput-medusae 'Red form')
- Tillandsia 'Sonoran Snow'
- Tillandsia 'Veronica Orozco' (T. baileyi × T. caput-medusae)
- Tillandsia 'Vicente Bacaya' (T. capitata × T. caput-medusae)[4]
References
edit- ^ Isley, Paul T. (1987). Tillandsia: The World's Most Unusual Air Plants. Botanical Press. ISBN 978-0-9617675-0-1.
- ^ Lemke, Cal (2006-05-26). "Tillandsia caput-medusae Bromeliaceae". Cal's Plant of the Week. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- ^ a b Benzing, David H. (1970). "An Investigation of Two Bromeliad Myrmecophytes: Tillandsia butzii Mez, T. caput-medusae E. Morren, and Their Ants". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 97 (2): 109–115. doi:10.2307/2483400. ISSN 0040-9618. JSTOR 2483400.
- ^ "The BSI Cultivar Registry" (PDF). Bromeliad Society International. 2009-11-05. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
- "Tillandsia caput-medusae". HortiPlex Plant Database. GardenWeb. Archived from the original on 2007-12-11.