Difference between revisions of "Tillandsia usneoides"

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{{SPlantbox
 
{{SPlantbox
 
|familia=Bromeliaceae
 
|familia=Bromeliaceae
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|genus=Tillandsia  
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|genus=Tillandsia
 
|species=usneoides
 
|species=usneoides
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|taxo_author=L.
 
|common_name=Old man's beard, Spanish moss
 
|common_name=Old man's beard, Spanish moss
 
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 
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|image=Upload.png
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|image=Spanish moss at the Mcbryde Garden in hawaii.jpg
 
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'''Spanish moss''' (''Tillandsia usneoides'') is a [[flowering plant]] that grows upon larger [[tree]]s, commonly the Southern Live Oak (''[[Quercus virginiana]]'') or Bald Cypress (''[[Taxodium distichum]]'') in the [[southeastern United States]].
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| latin_name = ''Tillandsia usneoides''
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| common_names = Spanish moss
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Spanish moss closely resembles its [[Specific name|namesake]] (''[[Usnea]]'', or beard lichen), but in fact it is not biologically related to either [[moss]]es or [[lichen]]s. Instead, it is an [[angiosperm]] in the family [[Bromeliaceae]] (the bromeliads) that grows hanging from tree branches in full sun or partial shade. Formerly this plant has been placed in the genera ''Anoplophytum'', ''Caraguata'', and ''Renealmia''.<ref>[http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?12153 Genus: Tillandsia L.], GRIN Taxonomy for Plants, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.</ref> It ranges from the [[southeastern United States]] (southern [[Virginia]] and eastern [[Maryland]]) to [[Argentina]], growing wherever the [[climate]] is warm enough and has a relatively high average [[humidity]]. 
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| growth_habit = ?  <!--- tree, shrub, herbaceous, vine, etc -->
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| high = ?  <!--- 1m (3 ft) -->
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The plant consists of a slender stem bearing alternate thin, curved or curly, heavily scaled [[leaf|leaves]] {{convert|2|–|6|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|1|mm|in|abbr=on}} broad, that grow vegetatively in chain-like fashion (pendant) to form hanging structures up to {{convert|6|m|in|abbr=on}}<ref>http://www.floridata.com/ref/T/till_usn.cfm</ref> in length. The plant has no [[aerial root]]s <ref>http://www.floridata.com/ref/T/till_usn.cfm</ref>and its [[flower]]s are tiny and inconspicuous. It propagates both by [[seed]] and [[Vegetative reproduction|vegetatively]] by fragments that blow on the wind and stick to tree limbs, or are carried by [[bird]]s as nesting material.
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| wide =    <!--- 65cm (25 inches) -->
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| origin = ?  <!--- Mexico, S America, S Europe, garden, etc -->
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Spanish moss is an [[epiphyte]] (a plant that lives upon other plants; from [[Greek language|Greek]] "epi"=upon "phyte"=plant), which absorbs [[nutrient]]s (especially [[calcium]]) and [[water]] from the air and [[rain]]fall. Spanish moss is colloquially known as "air plant".
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| lifespan =    <!--- perennial, annual, etc -->
 
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| exposure = ?  <!--- full sun, part-sun, semi-shade, shade, indoors, bright filtered (you may list more than 1) -->
 
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| features =    <!--- flowers, fragrance, fruit, naturalizes, invasive -->
 
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| bloom =    <!--- seasons which the plant blooms, if it is grown for its flowers -->
 
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| usda_zones = ?  <!--- eg. 8-11 -->
 
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| sunset_zones =    <!--- eg. 8, 9, 12-24, not available -->
 
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| color = IndianRed
 
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| image = Spanish moss at the Mcbryde Garden in hawaii.jpg
 
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| image_width = 180px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
 
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| image_caption = Spanish moss at the Mcbryde Garden in hawaii
 
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| regnum = Plantae  <!--- Kingdom -->
 
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{{Inc|
 
{{Inc|
 
Tillandsia usneoides, Linn. Spanish, Florida, or Long Moss. Whole plant hoary-gray, hanging from trees, the sts. very slender and often several feet long: lvs. scattered, narrow-linear, 1-3 in. long: fls. solitary in the lf.-axils, small and not showy, the petals yellow and reflexed at the end. Trop. Amer. and in the U. S. from Texas to Fla. and E. Va.; extends southward to S. Brazil. —This is one of the most characteristic plants of our southern regions. In moist regions it gives a most weird aspect to the forests. It is used as a packing material, and also, when specially prepared, for upholstery. It is rarely cult., although it is not uncommon in greenhouses, being hung on branches and beams; but it must be renewed frequently. The plant is named for its resemblance to the lichen Usnea.
 
Tillandsia usneoides, Linn. Spanish, Florida, or Long Moss. Whole plant hoary-gray, hanging from trees, the sts. very slender and often several feet long: lvs. scattered, narrow-linear, 1-3 in. long: fls. solitary in the lf.-axils, small and not showy, the petals yellow and reflexed at the end. Trop. Amer. and in the U. S. from Texas to Fla. and E. Va.; extends southward to S. Brazil. —This is one of the most characteristic plants of our southern regions. In moist regions it gives a most weird aspect to the forests. It is used as a packing material, and also, when specially prepared, for upholstery. It is rarely cult., although it is not uncommon in greenhouses, being hung on branches and beams; but it must be renewed frequently. The plant is named for its resemblance to the lichen Usnea.
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==Gallery==
 
==Gallery==
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{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->
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<gallery perrow=5>
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Image:Spanish moss.jpg|Spanish moss growing on an oak tree.
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<gallery>
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Image:DirkvdM orosi mossy tree.jpg|Spanish moss in [[Costa Rica]].
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Image:Upload.png| photo 1
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Image:Sp_moss_CU_th.jpg|Close-up of Spanish moss.
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Image:Upload.png| photo 2
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Image:Spanish-moss-tree.jpg|[[Quercus virginiana|Southern Live Oak]] with Spanish moss hanging from it.
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Image:Upload.png| photo 3
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Image:Mousse espagnole en Louisiane.JPG|Spanish moss in [[Louisiana]].
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Image:Peles Hair.jpg|{{okina}}Umi{{okina}}umi-o-Dole with a [[taro]] leaf background.
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Image:Spanish moss sg.jpg|Spanish moss on a tree at a park in [[Singapore]].
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Image:Spanish_moss_sc.jpg|Spanish moss growing on a tree on [[Hilton Head Island, South Carolina]]
 
Image:Sp moss CU th.jpg|Closeup
 
Image:Sp moss CU th.jpg|Closeup
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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Revision as of 23:33, 27 April 2010


Spanish moss at the Mcbryde Garden in hawaii.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   bromeliad

Height: ⇕ 24 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 24.
Width: ⇔ 4 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 4.
Bloom: ❀ early summer, mid summer, late summer
Cultivation
Exposure: ☼ shade
Features: ✓ flowers
USDA Zones: 11 to 12
Flower features: ❀ blue, purple
Scientific Names

Bromeliaceae >

Tillandsia >

usneoides >

L. >


Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is a flowering plant that grows upon larger trees, commonly the Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) or Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) in the southeastern United States.

Spanish moss closely resembles its namesake (Usnea, or beard lichen), but in fact it is not biologically related to either mosses or lichens. Instead, it is an angiosperm in the family Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) that grows hanging from tree branches in full sun or partial shade. Formerly this plant has been placed in the genera Anoplophytum, Caraguata, and Renealmia.[1] It ranges from the southeastern United States (southern Virginia and eastern Maryland) to Argentina, growing wherever the climate is warm enough and has a relatively high average humidity.

The plant consists of a slender stem bearing alternate thin, curved or curly, heavily scaled leaves 2 – 6 cm long and 1 mm in broad, that grow vegetatively in chain-like fashion (pendant) to form hanging structures up to 6 m in [2] in length. The plant has no aerial roots [3]and its flowers are tiny and inconspicuous. It propagates both by seed and vegetatively by fragments that blow on the wind and stick to tree limbs, or are carried by birds as nesting material.

Spanish moss is an epiphyte (a plant that lives upon other plants; from Greek "epi"=upon "phyte"=plant), which absorbs nutrients (especially calcium) and water from the air and rainfall. Spanish moss is colloquially known as "air plant".


Read about Tillandsia usneoides in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Tillandsia usneoides, Linn. Spanish, Florida, or Long Moss. Whole plant hoary-gray, hanging from trees, the sts. very slender and often several feet long: lvs. scattered, narrow-linear, 1-3 in. long: fls. solitary in the lf.-axils, small and not showy, the petals yellow and reflexed at the end. Trop. Amer. and in the U. S. from Texas to Fla. and E. Va.; extends southward to S. Brazil. —This is one of the most characteristic plants of our southern regions. In moist regions it gives a most weird aspect to the forests. It is used as a packing material, and also, when specially prepared, for upholstery. It is rarely cult., although it is not uncommon in greenhouses, being hung on branches and beams; but it must be renewed frequently. The plant is named for its resemblance to the lichen Usnea. CH


The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


Cultivation

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Pests and diseases

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Species

Gallery

References

External links


  1. ↑ Genus: Tillandsia L., GRIN Taxonomy for Plants, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.
  2. ↑ http://www.floridata.com/ref/T/till_usn.cfm
  3. ↑ http://www.floridata.com/ref/T/till_usn.cfm
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