Natural hybrid of: Tillandsia bartramii (Bartram's airplant) and Tillandsia fasciculata (cardinal airplant)

Scientific name:  Tillandsia x floridana (L.B. Smith) H. Luther

Former names: Tillandsia hystricina Small; Tillandsia fasciculata var. floridana L.B. Smith

Status in Florida: Thought to be precinctive (found nowhere else)

Threats to this plant: Parent species are threatened by Mexican bromeliad weevil (Metamasius callizona), habitat destruction and illegal collection

Distribution: Florida

Distribution in Florida: Broward, Citrus, DeSoto, Flagler, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Volusia Counties

Occurrence in Florida: Occasional

Habitat: Cypress swamps and hammocks

Description: Plants usually in clusters; grows to 60 cm (24 in.) when flowering; 20-50 grayish leaves, erect to slightly spreading; sheath brown toward base, not forming pseudobulb; inflorescence conspicuous, 15-30 cm (6-12 in.); bracts erect, like leaves but gradually smaller; 2-7 spikes, with 2-10 lateral branches; floral bracts red to rose; 10-40 flowers; petals violet, to 4.5 cm (1 ¾ in.). T. x floridana is often confused with T. bartramii and T. simulata, which both have narrow leaves

Time of flowering: Spring - fall

References:
Flora of North America Association. 2000. Flora of North America, Vol. 22. http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/FNA

Wunderlin, Richard P. 1982. Guide to the Vascular Plants of Central Florida. University Presses of Florida, Tampa.

Wunderlin, Richard P. and Bruce F. Hansen. 2000. Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants. Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa. http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu