Tillandsia polystachia (L.) L., 1762

Jarvis, Charlie, 2007, Chapter 7: Linnaean Plant Names and their Types (part R), Order out of Chaos. Linnaean Plant Types and their Types, London: Linnaean Society of London in association with the Natural History Museum, pp. 785-805 : 789

Renealmia polystachia Linnaeus , Species Plantarum 1: 286. 1753 .

"Habitat in America calidiore." RCN: 2277.

Basionym of: Tillandsia polystachia (L.) L. (1762) .

Neotype (Smith & Downs, Fl. Neotropica 14: 924. 1977): Plumier, s.n. (P).

Current name: Tillandsia polystachia (L.) L. ( Bromeliaceae ).

Note: Smith & Downs designated a Plumier specimen (P) as the type. It would not, however, have been studied by Linnaeus and is not original material for the name. Although one illustration, Catesby’s 2: t. 89, is mentioned in the protologue, it is accompanied by “?”, indicating Linnaeus’ doubts as to whether it belonged with this name. These seem to have been well-founded as the plate is identifiable as Tillandsia balbisiana (Schultes) Roemer & Schultes (see Howard & Staples in J. Arnold Arbor. 64: 514. 1983). In the absence of original material, Smith & Downs’ choice is treated as a neotypification under Art. 9.8.