Family: Bromeliad
Sub-Family: Tillandsioideae
Genus: Tillandsia
Sub-Genus:
Native distribution and habitat: T. stellifera is native to Peru, and grows on rock faces on elevations 2700- 3000 m. A photograph in Die Bromelie1 shows great clumps of the plant growing on sheer vertical cliffs at Rio Puccha (Latitude. -9.0500°, Longitude. -76.9333°) with snow covered mountains in the background.
Growth habit: T. stellifera looks like a tiny, caulescent T. tectorum. Over time it forms cushion-like clumps on rock faces where it enjoys extra airflow. A mature individual plant grows to about 50 mm wide and 250 - 300 mm in length and has a multitude of leaves that give an over all appearance of a strange silver insect similar to a centipede.
Foliage: The silver white foliage is short and fuzzy with visible trichomes. (27 mm long x 3 mm wide at the base x 2 mm thick at the base). The trichome cover is so rich the plant glistens in direct sunlight.
Flowers: As the plant begins to form a flower the growing tip swells to form a small, red spike with petals that are violet, and white at the upper part of petal.
Seed:
Pups:
Cultivation: It is an easy plant to grow when it has good air movement and moderate to bright light. Responds to light misting, but needs to dry out between waterings.
Availability: A great plant but very rare.
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