Tillandsia kammii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tillandsia kammii |
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| Tillandsia kammii in cultivation at the Botanical Garden of Heidelberg, Germany | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tillandsia
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| Species: |
kammii
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Tillandsia kammii is a special kind of plant that belongs to the Tillandsia family. It is found naturally in Honduras and has also been seen in El Salvador. People first discovered this plant in Honduras in 1977. Its common name is Kamm's tillandsia.
About This Plant
Tillandsia kammii is a plant that loves dry places. It gets its water and food from the air, not from the soil. This type of plant is called an xerophyte. It often grows on other plants or rocks, but it doesn't harm them. This is why it's also known as an epiphyte.
T. kammii is one of only four Tillandsia species that are protected by a special agreement called CITES Appendix II. This means it's important to protect these plants so they don't disappear.
This plant usually grows between five and ten centimeters tall. It has leaves that are packed closely together. Its roots are thin and look like wires. You might find it growing alone or in small groups.
Tillandsia kammii has a short, bright red flower stalk, called an inflorescence. It has pretty violet petals that usually only stay open for about a day. The plant feels rough to touch because its leaves are covered in tiny, coarse hairs called trichomes.
This plant looks a lot like two other Tillandsia species: T. velutina and T. plagiotropica. You can tell T. kammii apart from T. velutina because its hairs are bigger and denser. It's different from T. plagiotropica because its leaves are narrower, longer, and more flexible.
Where It Lives
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Tillandsia kammii lives in warm, dry areas in Honduras and El Salvador. These areas have a tropical savanna climate. It grows at heights between 500 and 1200 meters above sea level.
The temperature in its home usually ranges from 14 °C to 35 °C. It gets about 1400 mm of rain each year. This climate helps the plant get the water it needs from the air.
See also
In Spanish: Tillandsia kammii para niños
