Tillandsia recurvata
Ball Moss
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Scientific name: Tillandsia recurvata L.
Former names: Diaphoranthema recurvata (L.) Beer
Common names:
Ball moss.
Status in
Florida: Not listed as threatened.
Threats to
this plant in Florida: None.
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Distribution:
Southern U.S. (Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico,
Texas), Mexico, Central America, West Indies, Argentina, Chile.
Distribution
in Florida: All counties.
Occurrence in Florida: Common.
Habitat: Hammocks (usually on broad-leaved trees), pinelands and scrub; usually in brightly exposed habitats.
Description:
Epiphytic; grows to 12-18 cm (5-7 in.) tall, 15-18 cm (6-7 in.)
in diameter; rooted crown with cluster of curving stems and compact
mass of leaves resulting in ball-like growth; leaves stiff, narrow,
gray-green, not dilated at base (4-8 mm [1/8 - 1/3 in.] wide); 2-5
flowers, with blue to violet petals, on long stem growing from central
mass of leaves; seed capsule up to 2 cm (3/4 in.) long; several plants
often grow together in masses.
Time of
flowering: Spring - summer.
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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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