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****  FLORIDA'S NATIVE BROMELIADS  ****
Tillandsia recurvata
Ball Moss



Tillandsia recurvata
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.
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.


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