Tillandsia ionantha, the air plant (a common name shared by most species in its genus), is a species of plant in the genus Tillandsia. This species is native to Central America and Mexico. It is also reportedly naturalized in Broward County, Florida, United States.
They are acaulescent or sometimes shortly caulescent plants, with a size of 6âÂÂ8 cm high. The leaves are 4âÂÂ9 cm long; with pods 0.6âÂÂ1 cm wide, densely patent fabric; narrow triangular sheets, 0.3âÂÂ0.4 cm wide, dense lepidota indument, foliaceous bracts; compound inflorescence (of simple appearance due to the reduction of the spikes to 1 flower), with 1âÂÂ3 flowers, primary foliaceous bracts, much longer than the spikes, floral bracts 3 cm long, longer than the sepals and covering them in the anthesis, ecarinated, inconspicuously nervate, glabrous, membranous, sessile flowers; sepals are 2 cm long, free, the posterior carinate, the anterior ecarinated; purple petals. Capsules are 2.5âÂÂ4.5 cm long.
Tillandsia ionantha was described by Jules Emile Planchon and published in Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l'Europe 10: 101, t. 1006. 1854âÂÂ1855 [1855].
Two varieties are recognized: