Tillandsia ionantha X caput-medusae Click thumbnails for full size, scaled to a new window.
Tillandsia ionantha X caput-medusae
Not yet registered (Aug 2019)
(Note: This seems quite different to the B.Holm hybrid T. 'Holm's Stromboli' with same parentage.
The Holm's plant has a dramatically shorter spike.)
Chris Larson 08/19
Chris Larson 08/19
Chris Larson ... "We imported this one. Sold in Asia as T. ionantha X caput-medusae (I hope I have it the correct way around). These are 2 different seedlings from the batch – not that there is much difference in the batch – these are the extremes. The plant is around 10 cm tall or a little less.
Before Geoff & Derek say, I think this one needs a name. But does anyone know it – or have seen it with a name?
Also, I am wondering if anyone knows of a T. ionantha hybrid with so little T. ionantha visible in the seedlings? Hybridists – what do you think?
I would say it definitely is a hybrid, for those questioning. Or it is like no other T. caput-medusae that I have seen." Grant Paterson ... "I don’t see any ionantha in this one. All ionantha hybrids I have seen or done dramatically shorten the spike.
In Singapore I was told it was from tissue culture / invitro seed raising with mass culturing so not sure if that affects the result.
I have seen this plant in Singapore with the same label on it. A great plant indeed and as VB Bob says worthy of a place in any collection"
Andrew Flower 08/19 circinnatoides X ionantha
Grant Paterson. T. Pomona, the reverse cross.
Andrew Flower ... "Here is a Tiillandsia circinnatoides x ionantha I did a few years ago - might be worth considering since T. circinnatoides is in the same general group as T. caput-medusae." Derek Butcher ... "Interesting. In recent years I have noticed quite lot of hybrids from Asian countries being registered and I have made arrangements for copies of photo to be part of the DVD we circulate. With the problems we have in importing Tilandsias I wonder why I do this because of the likelihood of these hybrids ever getting on to Aussie shores. So, many Asian hybridists see the advantage of registration but it would seem that the Tillandsia market can include formulas. In this case, do we know the alleged hybridist and get him/her to think up a name and register?" Grant Paterson ... "Here is T. Pomona. Same parents reverse cross??" Chris Larson 24 August 2019 ... "Importation into Australia from Europe & the Americas is out. Importation from some Asian countries (the ones with no record of Xyllela) are still allowed. Guess where our importers are looking at.
The nature of the seedlings we received made me think of tissue culture immediately – the same as when I saw these T. ionantha var van hyningii. Walking around Kevin’s nursery in Singapore, I spotted heaps of these types of things. But I was wondering about the methods the growers in the originating countries were using to increase the mother stock, from which pups could be produced to satisfy the market. However it appears, at present, that they are supplying large amounts of seedlings.
Neo’s etc, are the same. All the latest Skotak’s, etc, are in Asia. Guess what is happening.
BTW, this is from a very large nursery, which I don’t think is a specialist tillandsia nursery, and I am not aware of the name of that nursery. Many of these larger “export nurseries’ take stock from smaller nurseries to get more variety to satisfy their customers. These smaller companies are not large enough to supply the export trade. So even contacting the supplier doesn’t get you in touch with the hybridiser. The Guatemalan tillandsia trade was of a similar structure.
I’ll contact Kevin & Sam to see if anyone is using a name yet for this one."
