Tillandsia Red Ruby
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Tillandsia Red Ruby
BCR ... "Fuego x Fuego, Thailand, circa 2015
Mature, compact rosette to 6cm. diameter x up to 10cm. high. Long green leaves densely stacked with leaf tips recurving out at the top. Entire plant turning firey red at blooming with exserted, tubular, erect violet flowers. Acquired from a Thailand nursery (whom wishes to be unnamed) in 2019 for cultivation in Singapore. Named after Thailand's famous dessert. These are tagged as T. ionantha Fuego large form by Thai nursery and have features that are distinct and different from T. ionantha 'Fuego'. Thai Nursery owner is supportive of the name change as the original name (Fuego Large form) was created by him with the discovery and cultivation of this species variant.
Ionantha Group. Registered by Kevin Tan 10/2020"
Bob Hudson ... "Here we go again another T. ionantha Fuego????"
Chris Larson ... "Interesting concept that one. The term T. ionantha Fuego exists in 2 real life applications.
First concept: the one that the Guatemalans use for the plants that come from the west coast of Guatemala - quite a distinct locality with similar characteristics, but pretty much distinct. So they have been exported all over the world under this name.
Second concept: that as defined by the BCR. Then plants such as T. Two Tone & T. Red Ruby are pulled out of T. ionantha Fuego and given a different name - due to traits within the boundaries of the first concept, but with more particular traits that Geoff sees in the photos on the BCR. But plants such as this are being traded all over the place as T. ionantha Fuego.
T. ionantha Fuego could possibly get varietal status, if someone did the botanising - it is as distinct as T. ionantha var stricta & T. ionantha var maxima. It has a defined range in habitat. 20 to 200m alt between Ocos & Champericos on the Pacific Coast. (Source: Jeronimo Lancerio.)
Geoff Lawn is in a spot where he has to register, as the 'Red Ruby' & the 'Two Tone' are slightly different forms of T. Fuego - and different to the photos on the BCR. I have seen lots of intermediate plants between the registered T. Fuego and T. Two Tone or T. Red Ruby imported from Guatemala over 20 years.
T. Fuego is only one particular form of plant traded as T. Fuego & is as defined by the BCR, not the range of forms traded around the world under this name, as we have this system of classification where it is supposed to be a singular clone or form. Ooops there is one of the larger forms that have been slipped in there in the photos. How can that be? We are not supposed to have more than one form per cultivar name. (But I agree it should be left there.)
You all know that I have different views, and that I respect that Geoff is operating within a set of rules, as Derek before him, and Geoff is thorough, and it is a huge (non-paying) job."
Updated 12/11/20
