Tillandsia Tomellinensis
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Tillandsia Tomellinensis
Species with proposed name tomellinensis, from Mexico, not yet published. So registered as a cultivar pending formal description.
Derek Butcher 12/15
Ray Clark 10/18
Ray Clark 12/18
Ray Clark 01/23
Derek Butcher 12/15 ... "Things are still happening in Adelaide despite it being 40C. The latest one is an interesting one that I got from Renate Ehlers in 2002. She described it in 2000 but it has not yet been published. My Tillandsia disk had some old blurred photos of it so this is an improvenent. I have checked the plant against Renate's description and it seems I have the rare simple spike form."

Ray Clark 10/18 ... "The attached image show "tomellinensis" in spike and hopefully flowering soon, why I am I posting this one?
According to the DVD it is NYP and to back that up I don't see a mention of it on the taxon list either. I personally am unsure what steps need to be taken to get this one published, I can only add that it is ex Derek, ex Renate. Is anyone else growing this plant?"
Len Colgan ... "I have a pair of them."
Chris Larson ... "Yes I have this one. From Europe directly.
The steps to publish is in the hands of those qualified to publish. Renates passing means this one may never be described, under this name or another. The name is not a legitimate name & therefore not in Taxon. This is the same situation as T. cocoensis which is sold all over the world under this name but it is not recognised – sort of like using cv names which are not registered. But at least Derek has documented it on the disc so that we have a reference to locality. Will another taxonomist take on describing it under this name or another, or not? Big question."
Derek Butcher ... "There is a 'Cocoensis' (Cultivar name) in the BCR and there is an article pending in Die Bromelie to explain things to the Germans. It seems tomellinensis may be destined to the same fate. Eric Gouda isn't growing it so there seems little chance it will be named under the ICN rules. It seems linked to T. hammeri and could even be lumped there by botanists
We await flowering by Ray."

Derek Butcher ... "Ray. Has your plant flowered yet? I decided to bite the bullet and treat this NYP (Not Yet Published) as a cultivar. Details enclosed. Please advise adjustments to measurements advised."
Ray Clark ... "Derek: I was looking at my plant yesterday and wondered if it had been published, not quite.
My plant has not actually flowered as yet and appears to be generally marginally smaller than the measurements you quote. At this point that does not concern me greatly, I'll be happy to see it flower.
Your description of the flower and spike are pretty close though, red lacquer for sure "

Tillandsia 'Tomellinensis' by Derek Butcher November 2018
In October 2002 Renate gave me a plant with this name via a batch that Len Colgan had imported. It first flowered for me in December 2015. I gave a piece to Ray Clark and because of his tender care it flowered in 2018. It is growing in at least 2 places in Adelaide (the other being Len Colgan’s) so it must like living in Adelaide. Regrettably Renate did not get around to publishing this plant and it is possible that current taxonomists may treat it as a variable Tillandsia hammeri. Therefore I have decided to record the name as a cultivar in the Bromeliad Cultivar Register.
It was found in Mexico, State of Pueblo, near the border of Oaxaca, on the road between Tehuacan and Oaxaca near Calipan, 2000m. alt, terrestrial on rocks upstream about 8km by H. Gieseke in 1988. It flowered in April 2000 in collection of Renate Ehlers.

It differs from T. hammeri in Plant smaller and secund, not narrow and erect. Leaves greener and substantially shorter. Sheath shorter and distinct, outside green, inside light brown, not both sides deep dark brown. Inflorescence shorter, more compact and wider, with few very broadened long spikes. Primary bract not longer than the spike, hardly half as long. Floral bract exceeds the sepal, longer (to 2.3cm compared to 1.5cm), broader, clearly keeled, glabrous, lacquered red with lepidote tip, the edges and top portion with winged large asymmetric trichomes not green red and uniformly dense fine white lepidote.

Plant in Australia stemless, forming clumps, single plant flowering 25-35 cm high, forming an erect often secund rosette, Leaves to 30cm long, narrow triangular.
Inflorescence of 1 spike to 10 cm long, Floral bracts 2 – 2.3 cm long, carmine – red, glabrous, shiny lacquered, the tip dense fine pruinose lepidote.

Updated 19/01/23