Peter Tristram 08/13

Peter Tristram....."It seems that the little green Mexicans and the tectorums are pretty close genetically so the term ‘Mexican tectorums’ wasn’t far off the mark! The reclassification of the Tillandsioids, as shown at the conf in NZ, includes the proposal to group all of these under the subgenus Viridantha (not as a separate genus as once debated). Fascinating stuff! But at least these remain Tillandsias unlike those proposed to head into the new genera: Lemeltonia, Josemania and Rothowia, and Steve’s bathroom companion which could be a Racinaea, along with dyeriana and hamaleana.
Some of the rarer Mexican tectorums are currently blooming for me, as per labels - T. teloloapanensis?? (but it looks more like atroviridipetala v. longepedunculata!) – easily mistaken for a small tectorum if not for the flowers and T. tortillis, a fairly large form from Goettingen BG. Lovely little delights. In my experience the 2 most difficult to grow in this group are the small atroviridipetalas and plumosa! Strange as they are/used to be the most common. I am still hopeful one of my LGM will turn out to be easily identified as teloloapanensis!"