Taxon: Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L.

Summary

Genus:

Tillandsia

Family:

Bromeliaceae

Subfamily:

Tillandsioideae

Tribe:

Tillandsieae

Nomen number:

400344

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. ed. 2, 1:410. 1762

Verified:

10/06/1994 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

1 (1 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Basionym
Renealmia recurvata L.

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
Howard, R. 1979. Flora of the lesser Antilles. 3:421.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening 4:472-473.
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	ball-moss	1	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
English	bunch-moss	1	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Swedish	bågtillandsia	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja California (Norte)		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja California Sur		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Chihuahua		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Coahuila de Zaragoza		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Durango		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Nuevo León		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	San Luis Potosí		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sinaloa		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sonora		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Zacatecas		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Aguascalientes		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Ciudad de México		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guanajuato		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Hidalgo		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	México		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Michoacán de Ocampo		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Morelos		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Nayarit		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Puebla		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Querétaro		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Tlaxcala		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Arizona	s.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Anguilla			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Antigua and Barbuda			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Bahamas			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominican Republic			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Martinique			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Montserrat			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Kitts and Nevis			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina		n.	Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Uruguay			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.
2	Cultivated					also cult.

Native
Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Arizona (s.)]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Baja California (Norte), Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Ciudad de México, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Tlaxcala, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Anguilla, Netherlands Antilles, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Martinique, United States [Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S.]
CENTRAL AMERICA: Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Venezuela
BRAZIL: Brazil
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina (n.), Paraguay, Uruguay

Cultivated (also cult.)

Reference(s)

Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:71-72.
Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):888-892.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Environmental	ornamental		Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening 4:472-473.
Medicines	folklore		McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=400344. Accessed 12 May 2026.