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****  FLORIDA'S NATIVE BROMELIADS  ****
Catopsis nutans
Nodding Strap Airplant



Catopsis nutans
Scientific name: Catopsis nutans (Swartz) Griseb.

Common names: Nodding strap airplant, nodding airplant, nodding catopsis.

Status in Florida: Endangered.

Threats to this plant in Florida:  Restricted range, illegal collecting, Mexican bromeliad weevil (Metamasius callizona).

Distribution: Florida, Mexico, West Indies, Central and South America.
Distribution in Florida: Collier County.

Occurrence in Florida: Very rare.

Habitat: Palustrine (slough) and shady, humid hammocks (deep cypress swamp).

Description: Tank epiphyte; plant grows to 30 cm (12 in.); small rosettes with flexible, spreading, bright-green, tapered leaves, overlapping at bases [8-15 cm (3-6 in.) long, 2 cm (3/4 in.) at base, narrowing to tip]; leaves are chalky, especially at base; flower stalk usually simple; 3-10 orange-yellow flowers, 2 cm (3/4 in.) long, opening at night; mature capsules 1.2-2.0 cm (1/2 - 3/4 in.) long, oval.

Time of flowering: Fall – spring (especially August – October).


References
Coile NC. 2000. Notes on Florida's Endangered and Threatened Plants. FDACS/DPI, Bureau of Entomology, Nematology and Plant Pathology, Botany Section. Contribution No. 38, 3rd ed., Gainesville, FL. http://www.virtualherbarium.org/EPAC

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 1997.  Matrix of Habitats and Distribution by County of Rare/Endangered Species of Florida. Florida Natural Areas Inventory/The Nature Conservancy.  http://www.fnai.org

Long RW, Lakela O. 1976. A Flora of Tropical Florida. Banyan Books, Miami. 178 p.

Luther HE, Benzing DH. 2009.  Native Bromeliads of Florida. Sarasota, FL. Pineapple Press, Inc.


Ward DB (ed.). 1979. Plants, Vol. 5. In: Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida, P.C.H. Pritchard (ed.). University Presses of Florida, Gainesville, 175 p.


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Web master: tmcooper@ufl.edu
Last update: 17 February 2016