Tillandsia bulbosa Hook.

sect. Platystachys
Common Name: Dancing Bulb
Family: Bromeliaceae Juss.

Country of Origin: Trop. America
Habitat: epiphyte to 700m

Description: This species has ant-domatia. Leaves roll up to form tubes that lead down into the bulb at the base. Ants live in the domatia and provide nutrients as well as protection. Ant domatia have been recorded in roughly 13 different species of Tillandsia including T. bulbosa & T. baileyi.

Accession Data:

Accession # 199200240
Source: Unknown
Accession Date: 12-31-1992
Bench: 3305 - NEOB: Bromeliad North Step
- Currently: active - healthy
- Qty: 1 confirmed on 01-22-2025

Classification:

Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
SubClass: commelinids
Order: Poales
SubOrder:
Family: Bromeliaceae
SubFamily: Tillandsioideae
Tribe:
SubTribe:

Flowering Data:

This accession has been observed in bloom on:

Year	Jan				Feb				Mar					Apr				May				Jun					Jul				Aug				Sep					Oct				Nov				Dec
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007

References (internal):

EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Mexico Gulf / Mexico Southeast / Belize / Costa Rica / Guatemala / Honduras / Nicaragua / Panama / Bahamas / Cayman Is. / Cuba / Dominican Republic / Jamaica / Leeward Is. / Puerto Rico / Trinidad-Tobago / Venezuelan Antilles / Windward Is. / French Guiana / Guyana / Suriname / Venezuela / Colombia / Ecuador / Brazil Northeast / Brazil Southeast / Brazil North

References (external):

The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Accessed 26 February 2015.
WCSP (2015). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Accessed 26 February 2015.
The Ant-Farming Tillandsias at In Defense of Plants. Last accessed on Wednesday, January 18, 2017.
Images #00 (cropped) & #01 (original) by Bocabroms (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Last accessed on Wednesday, July 19, 2017.

data regenerated on Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:54:17 -0400 [bcm v4.0]