Tillandsia caput-medusae

Tillandsia caput-medusae is a species of flowering plant in the bromeliad family, Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. Common names include octopus plant and medusa's head. An epiphyte native to Central America and Mexico, T. caput-medusae is a commonly cultivated bromeliad species. The thick, channeled, tapering and twisting leaves are up to 25 cm (9.8 in) long and are covered in fine gray hairs. The rosette of leaves arise from an inflated pseudobulb. Pups are produced after blooming, as is usual with most Tillandsia species.

Tillandsia caput-medusae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Bromeliaceae
Genus: Tillandsia
Subgenus: Tillandsia subg. Tillandsia
Species:
T. caput-medusae
Binomial name
Tillandsia caput-medusae

In a greenhouse, the plants can bloom from spring to early summer. The red inflorescences are usually unbranched or digitate. Bright violet flowers are about 3.2 cm (1.3 in) long with the stamens exerted.[2]

Tillandsia caput-medusae does not have any free water retention in its overlapping leaves because its abaxial and adaxial leaf bases provides trichomes which coats the leaves.[3] The significance of trichome is to enhance leaf permeability.[3]

Cultivars
  • Tillandsia 'Bruce Aldridge' (T. caput-medusae × T. schiedeana)
  • Tillandsia 'Calum' (T. caput-medusae × T. brachycaulos)
  • Tillandsia 'Canina' (T. bulbosa × T. caput-medusae)
  • Tillandsia 'Cheryl' (T. caput-medusae × T. capitata 'Peach')
  • Tillandsia 'Como' (T. streptophylla × T. caput-medusae)
  • Tillandsia 'Gunalda' (T. concolor × T. caput-medusae)
  • Tillandsia 'Imbil' (T. brachycaulos × T. caput-medusae)
  • Tillandsia 'June Bug' (T. caput-medusae × T. bulbosa)
  • Tillandsia 'Litl Liz' (T. caput-medusae × T. streptophylla)
  • Tillandsia 'Panuco' (T. caput-medusae × T. durangensis)
  • Tillandsia 'Pomona' (T. caput-medusae × T. ionantha)
  • Tillandsia 'Red Slippers' (T. ionantha var. van-hyningii × T. caput-medusae 'Red form')
  • Tillandsia 'Sonoran Snow'
  • Tillandsia 'Veronica Orozco' (T. baileyi × T. caput-medusae)
  • Tillandsia 'Vicente Bacaya' (T. capitata × T. caput-medusae)[4]

References
  1. Isley, Paul T. (1987). Tillandsia: The World's Most Unusual Air Plants. Botanical Press. ISBN 978-0-9617675-0-1.
  2. Lemke, Cal (2006-05-26). "Tillandsia caput-medusae Bromeliaceae". Cal's Plant of the Week. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  3. Benzing, David H. (1970). "An Investigation of Two Bromeliad Myrmecophytes: Tillandsia butzii Mez, T. caput-medusae E. Morren, and Their Ants". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 97 (2): 109–115. doi:10.2307/2483400. ISSN 0040-9618. JSTOR 2483400.
  4. "The BSI Cultivar Registry" (PDF). Bromeliad Society International. 2009-11-05. Retrieved 2011-11-01.
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