Ionantha reference (registered)

An interesting read.

Tillandsia ionantha; Its Varieties, Forms, and Cultivars by Pamela Koide in J. Brom.Soc. 43: 160-3. 1993

Tillandsia ionantha is one of the most common and interesting species of the genus Tillandsia. One of the most delightful of the miniatures, its tufting, silvery rosette reaches only 1½ to 4 inches in height. The leaves, covered with silvery scales, are seldom over 2 inches long. It is rather easy to grow and adapts well to our outdoor southern California climate. If left to grow into a cluster, this species will form a large ball in a very short time. Some people have grown these clumps to the size of a basketball, a spectacle when the whole cluster blushes red at bloom time. The common name for this species is "Blushing Bride," referring to the red blush during anthesis. Although several forms and varieties are avail¬able to the collector, there are only two varieties recognized in Harry Luther's AN ALPHABETICAL LIST OF BROMELIAD BINOMIALS, but three in Lloyd Kiff's A DISTRIBUTIONAL CHECK-LIST OF THE GENUS TILLANDSIA. Descriptions of the vari¬eties, forms, and cultivars follow: .
Tillandsia ionantha var. ionantha is the most common and available variety. It was described in 1855 by Jules Emile Planchon. This variety is the most widespread, growing from Mexico to Costa Rica at altitudes of 450 to 5,000 feet. It varies somewhat in appearance from country to country, as well as within each country. It grows in dense masses in moist forests, as well as on exposed deciduous trees and rocks in arid regions. It can vary from silvery color with thin leaves, to green and lush, with thick, succulent-type leaves. When it starts to flower, the entire plant turns a brilliant rosy red. The narrow, tubular flowers are large for the size of the plant, topping the foliage by 1 to 1 ½ inches. The petals are vivid purple.
Tillandsia ionantha var. vanhyningii was described by Mulford Foster in 1957. It is endemic to one region in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico. It is lithophytic, growing on vertical limestone cliffs overhanging Rio Grijalva. This variety is caulescent (with distinct stems). The leaf color is a sil¬very pale green to white. In habitat, it produces large mats of rosettes. When the plant blooms, the foliage will flush bright pink, and produce the same vivid purple flowers as variety ionantha. Pups emerge from the base of the old mature leaves to form new leads. As this species is geographically isolated and morpho¬logically and ecologically distinct, it fits Luther's criteria of a subspecies.
Tillandsia ionantha var. zebrina, the third variety listed in Kiff's book, was described by Bert Foster in 1982. Harry Luther thinks that this should be con¬sidered a form and not a true botanical variety. It was collected in Guatemala and differs from the typical species in its beautifully banded leaf blades.
Tillandsia ionantha var. scaposa is the synonym of the species Tillandsia kolbii. T. kolbii was described by Walter Till and Stefan Schatzl, in 1981. The species has little in common morphologically with the species T. ionantha. It occurs at much higher elevations in pine-oak cloud forests. It is characterized by a scapose, occasionally compound inflorescence. Although the type locality is Oaxaca, Mexico, it is found most commonly in Guatemala.
Tillandsia ionantha `Druid' was introduced in 1984. This is a Mexican variation of T. ionantha var. ionantha that appears normal until it blooms. It then turns an unusual yellow color and produces flowers with white petals. I have seen numerous examples of this phenomenon in the genus Tillandsia and have always considered them to represent an albino form. Every generation of offsets continues to produce the same colorless inflorescence and flowers, indicating a fixed genetic trait.
T. ionantha `Rosita', `Peanut', and `Apretado' are cultivars mentioned in Paul Isley's book TILLANDSIA. The plant referred to as `Rosita' is the same as T. ionantha "Stricta," so called by several commercial tillandsia nurseries. This variation is endemic to one region in Oaxaca, Mexico. It is an isolated population found growing on oak trees at approximately 6500 feet elevation with T. fuchsii var. fuchsii. Other plants growing in the vicinity are the peach form of T. capitata, T. fasciculata, T. leucolepis, and the orchid Epidendrum parkinsonianum. It is red during its entire life, and has very narrow, nearly filiform leaf blades. During anthesis, it turns a brighter, brilliant red, and the flower petals are purple. I con¬sider this a distinct variety and propose the name T. ionantha var. stricta.

T. ionantha var. stricta hort. ex Koide, var. nov.
A typo T. ionantha Planchon sed cui similis foliis pertenuibus et perpetuo rubris differt.
Type: Mexico: Oaxaca; 6 km east of El Camaron, elev. ca.. 2000 m. Epiphytic on Quercus sp. Koide & Schuster s.n. legit., April 1982. Flowered in cultivation, P. Koide s.n. (SEL, holotype; US, MEXU, isotypes).

T ionantha `Peanut" is actually a form of the above-mentioned variety. It grows within the population of T. ionantha var. stricta and appears rather ran¬domly. It, too, is red throughout its life, but morphologically different. Instead of growing onto an open rosette, its leaves stay erect, close together, and very tight. This characteristic is continued in offspring as well as in young seedlings. On account of its distinctive growth habit it is described below as forma fastigiata. According to H. Luther a "forma" is used to designate biologically trivial varia¬tions of a species that occur sporadically within a natural population. If these variants occur in a cultivated population, they should be designated a cultivar.

T. ionantha var. stricta forma fastigiata, Koide, forma nov.
A typo T. ionantha var. stricta Koide sed cui similis foliis fastigiatis differt.
Type: Mexico: Oaxaca; 6 km east of El Camaron, elev. ca.. 2000 m. Epiphytic on Quercus sp., growing intermingled with typical T ionantha var. stricta, Koide & Schuster s.n. legit., April 1982. Flowered in cultivation, P. Koide s.n. (SEL, holo¬type; US, MEXU, isotypes).

The last named, `Apretado ; appears to be a variation of the Mexican T. ionantha var. ionantha. I have on occasion, found specimens of it growing in Mexico. They seem to grow larger than the typical species, and the leaves are succulent, slightly stiffer and more erect. They grow quite large as they are reluc¬tant to bloom.

OTHER CULTIVARS
T. ionantha `Rubra'. This name is used to describe a cultivar sold by Guatemalan nurseries, It has semisucculent green leaves, which recurve from an open rosette. When it blooms it turns a light pink-rose color, and has purple flowers. I do not know the exact distribution of this plant.
T. ionantha `Fuego'. Another variation sold by Guatemalan nurseries, is red throughout its life, but differs from the Mexican T. ionantha var. stricta in that the leaf blades are somewhat stiffer and more upright. The rosette is closed. It has purple flowers.I do not know its distribution.
T. ionantha `Huamelula' was recently brought into cultivation from Mexico. It grows on lava rocks on the west coast of Oaxaca. The plants are very large in comparison to the typical species. A single specimen can be 3-4 inches in diameter. It has beautiful green leaves, forming a symmetrical rosette. During anthesis it turns a vivid pink-orange color, and produces large purple flowers.
T. ionantha `Peach' is a variation found near Taxco, Mexico. It is more typ¬ical of the species T. ionantha var. ionantha in size. The leaves are pale green until the plant blooms. Then they turn peach. The leaves are also softer than the typical species. It also produces purple flowers.
T. ionantha `Hand Grenade' is a very large form which resembles a hand grenade. According to Dennis Cathcart, this form is from Honduras and appears to have indeterminate growth. It is a sparse bloomer and occasionally will crest.
T. ionantha `Cone Head' - is another large cultivar. Its origin is not known to me.

To summarize, we can agree that the species Tillandsia ionantha is not only attractive but variable. As the species appearance changes, individuals have applied various names to distinguish one type from another and in so doing have created a nomenclatural nightmare. I hope that the names of these cultivars, vari¬eties, and forms can be clarified before it becomes an impossible task.

Apretado = v. ionantha a slow growing form and therefore large at flowering
Aurea Grandis name used by Isley before changing to Sumo Size White
Cone Head unknown origin
Corsa A form being distributed by the company Corsa SA in Europe and quite widespread and named in Australia
Druid albino form – photo held
Fuego from Guatemala, leaves stiffer than v. stricta
Gigante from Isley 2010 seems similar to Apretado etc
Handgrenade from Honduras – Cathcart
Haselnuss name used in Germany - ?Peanut Hazelnut
Huamelula = v. maxima -photo held
Minnie named by Bob Hudson of Cairns. AU, for a very small form selected from a seed batch. Flowers at 3cm tall
Peach from Taxco Mexico
Peanut = v. stricta fa. fastigiata – photo held
Penito large form similar to ‘Apretado’, from Bromelifolia, Guatemala
Pine Cone from Cathcart - photo not held
Pink Champagne ionantha x Druid – photo held
Renate variegated form – photo held Other names given which seem only to be a variation in the actual variegation such as ‘variegata’, albomarginata’, and ‘Yuko Johnson’ in Taiwan for an almost albino
Rosita = v. stricta
Rubra from Guatemala – more soft open rosette with a fluffy silver appearance – photo held
Small Mexican from Alfredo Lau in the early 1990’s and widespread at least in Australia & New Zealand. As the name implies, flowers when quite small.
Sumo Size White A large white flowered form named by Isley – photo held
Tall Velvet name from Tillandsia International – photo held
Totem Pole from Isley – a large form similar to ‘Apretado’ Also known as ‘Fuego Totem Pole’
Zebrina = a cultivar with light cross markings on the leaves –photo held

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