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Tillandsia polystachia (L.) L.

Airplant

Native records: 28 botanical areas

Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, 25 more areas

See all areas

Natural distribution

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NativeIntroducedUncertain

Distribution is shown as WGSRPD Level 3 areas. It does not imply the species occurs throughout an entire area.

Last updated:

Distribution last verified:

See sources

Photograph of Tillandsia polystachia

An epiphyte of seasonally dry tropical climates. Native to Mexico, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda and elsewhere.

This entry carries only the classification and distribution data recorded in WCVP. A written account is not yet available.

Distribution areas

  • Anguilla

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Antigua and Barbuda

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Bahamas

    • BahamasNative

  • Barbados

    • Windward Is.Native

  • Belize

    • BelizeNative

  • Bolivia, Plurinational State of

    • BoliviaNative

  • Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Brazil

    • Brazil NorthNative
    • Brazil NortheastNative
    • Brazil SouthNative
    • Brazil SoutheastNative
    • Brazil West-CentralNative

  • Colombia

    • ColombiaNative

  • Cuba

    • CubaNative

  • Dominica

    • Windward Is.Native

  • Dominican Republic

    • Dominican RepublicNative

  • Ecuador

    • EcuadorNative

  • El Salvador

    • El SalvadorNative

  • Grenada

    • Windward Is.Native

  • Guadeloupe

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Guatemala

    • GuatemalaNative

  • Haiti

    • HaitiNative

  • Honduras

    • HondurasNative

  • Jamaica

    • JamaicaNative

  • Martinique

    • Windward Is.Native

  • Mexico

    • Mexico CentralNative
    • Mexico GulfNative
    • Mexico NortheastNative
    • Mexico NorthwestNative
    • Mexico SoutheastNative
    • Mexico SouthwestNative

  • Montserrat

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Nicaragua

    • NicaraguaNative

  • Puerto Rico

    • HaitiNative
    • Puerto RicoNative

  • Saint Barthélemy

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Saint Kitts and Nevis

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Saint Lucia

    • Windward Is.Native

  • Saint Martin (French part)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

    • Windward Is.Native

  • Sint Maarten (Dutch part)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative
    • VenezuelaNative

  • Virgin Islands (British)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

  • Virgin Islands (U.S.)

    • Leeward Is. AB AntNative

Climate of the native range

The Köppen climate classes found in the areas this plant is recorded as native to. It does not mean an entire area has that climate.

  • Aw Tropical, savannah
  • Af Tropical, rainforest
  • Cfa Temperate, no dry season, hot summer
  • Am Tropical, monsoon
  • Cwb Temperate, dry winter, warm summer
  • BWh Arid, desert, hot
  • BSh Arid, steppe, hot
  • BSk Arid, steppe, cold
  • Cfb Temperate, no dry season, warm summer
  • Cwa Temperate, dry winter, hot summer

The same climate occurs in 242 areas worldwide, 214 of which have no record of this plant. See them on the map

A matching climate does not mean the plant can grow there. Range limits are also set by things other than climate — dispersal history, soils, competition. Source: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0 (observed period 1991–2020).

Other names

Airplant

Family
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Tillandsia

Other species in Tillandsia

Sources

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Anguilla · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Antigua and Barbuda · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bahamas · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Barthélemy · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Belize · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Bolivia, Plurinational State of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Brazil · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Barbados · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Colombia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Cuba · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Dominica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Dominican Republic · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Ecuador · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Guadeloupe · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Grenada · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Guatemala · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Honduras · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Haiti · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Jamaica · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Kitts and Nevis · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Lucia · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Martin (French part) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Mexico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Montserrat · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Martinique · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Nicaragua · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Puerto Rico · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    El Salvador · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Sint Maarten (Dutch part) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Virgin Islands (British) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

  • World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP), version 2026-06-04

    Virgin Islands (U.S.) · Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · wcvp_distribution.csv

    Open source

Image information