Replies on: Casus Pro Diagnosi - Bromeliad Identification Page

26. Tillandsia cf. buchii  (Send your reply, using the form)

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• From: derek butcher tillands@senet.com.au (28. Jan 2000):  Received as T. buchii but it seems closest to T. rotundata
• From: "Dr. Walter Till" walter.till@univie.ac.at (Mon, 28 Jan 2000): the plant is T. buchii if you accept this taxon being different from T. compressa. T. rotundata has a head of very short spikes.
• From: derek butcher tillands@senet.com.au ( 29. Januar 2000): Walter, You have me worried. All the references I have from Baker to Mez to S&D to Selbyana show both buchii and compressa as simple. The plant I have is far from simple and the problem is I do not know where it came from originally.To my mind I cannot treat it as a typical buchii or compressa. Any more thoughts?
• From: "Dr. Walter Till" walter.till@univie.ac.at (Mon, 31 Jan 2000) I have seen populations in Jamaica with simple and compound inflorescences mixed. I would not overemphasize this. However, the whole alliance is in terrible disorder nad needs a thorough revision. I am collecting data (i.e., herbarium specimens and images) since more than  ten years but things have become rather more complicated than clear.
• From: Eric Gouda e.j.gouda@bio.uu.nl (31/01/2000): I agree with Walter about what he says about T.rotundata. It is a very complex group with T.fasciculata in the center. So it is eather T. buchii or T. compressa or both.
• From: derek butcher tillands@senet.com.au (28. Jan 2000):  Regarding compressa or buchii please tell me where you get the impression that they have compound inflorescences. It is not in Baker it is not in Mez it is not in Selbyana. We have Walter tell us there are both compound and simple forms of T. "buchii" on Jamaica and it is strange that for such a small island this fact was not known to botanists in the late 1800's. What other names were given to the compound plants? The BSI bulletin 1954 p76 shows a photo by Foster of a compressa which looks like a fasciculata. Has there been a Flora of Jamaica done? What conclusions were drawn? In any event I believe my plant would have come from the mainland. Every botanist I ask about the T. fasciculata group say it is too difficult to unravel and yet they can categorically identify a plant by name. To me these statements contradict each other.So I continue to ask questions. I still believe that if we follow Smith's varieties my plant falls between v. uncispica and v. rotundata, and has no links with buchii. Can I suggest that in view of your experience and Walter's 10 year involvement with this species that an answer may be found using Computer comparisons as in DELTA?
• From: Eric Gouda e.j.gouda@bio.uu.nl (3/02/2000): Sorry, I don't know. It was just my feeling about what I think is T.compressa (for what it is worth). This T.fasciculata complex is far to difficult to solve within short time and sombody has to work on that seriously (maybe for a Phd). I never got evolved with the compressa or buchii synonymy problem, so I'm afraid I have to disapoint you like Walter did. I do not think compound or simple is much worth in this group as several forms of T.fasciculata in one population can be both. This is the same with the form in the Guianas and what Walter said about Jamaica.

Send your reply, using the form, thanks E.J.Gouda