Taxon: Tillandsia usneoides (L.) L.

Summary

Genus:

Tillandsia

Family:

Bromeliaceae

Subfamily:

Tillandsioideae

Tribe:

Tillandsieae

Nomen number:

310398

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. ed. 2, 1:411. 1762

Verified:

05/23/1994 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

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

Other conspecific taxa

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

Basionym
Renealmia usneoides L.

Images (2 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Angely, J. A. 1965. Flora analitica do Parana.
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Cabrera, A. L., ed. 1965-1970. Flora de la provincia de Buenos Aires.
Correll, D. S. & H. B. Correll. 1982. Flora of the Bahama archipelago.
Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage
Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:75-76.
Fouché, J.-G. 1999. pers. comm. Note: re. French common names
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1963. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening 4:473.
Lasser, T., ed. 1964-. Flora de Venezuela.
León (J. S. Sauget) & Alain (E. E. Liogier). 1946-1969. Flora de Cuba
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Macbride, J. F. et al., eds. 1936-. Flora of Peru Note: 1936-1971; new ser. 1980-
McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
Rauh, W. 1981. Bromelien 275.
Reitz, R., ed. 1965-. Flora ilustrada catarinense.
Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Standley, P. C. 1937-1939. Flora of Costa Rica.
Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	Spanish-moss	1	Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
French	barbe grise	2	Fouché, J.-G. 1999. pers. comm. Note: re. French common names
French	fille de l'air	2	Fouché, J.-G. 1999. pers. comm. Note: re. French common names
German	Louisianamoos	2	Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage
Swedish	spansk mossa	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	Coahuila de Zaragoza		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Arkansas
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	North Carolina
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Virginia
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 25:75-76.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Campeche		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Quintana Roo		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:75-76.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Tabasco		Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
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 25:75-76.
1	Native	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Bahamas			Correll, D. S. & H. B. Correll. 1982. Flora of the Bahama archipelago.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			León (J. S. Sauget) & Alain (E. E. Liogier). 1946-1969. Flora de Cuba
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominican Republic			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Haiti			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Martinique			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Vincent and Grenadines			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Trinidad and Tobago			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
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):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama			Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Guyana			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Suriname			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Chile			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Southern South America	Uruguay			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Peru			Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
2	Cultivated					also cult.

Native
Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Aguascalientes, Campeche, Chiapas, Ciudad de México, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Tlaxcala, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago, United States [Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S.], St. Vincent and Grenadines
CENTRAL AMERICA: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela
BRAZIL: Brazil
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay

Cultivated (also cult.)

Reference(s)

Correll, D. S. & H. B. Correll. 1982. Flora of the Bahama archipelago.
Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Espejo-Serna, A. et al. 2004. Checklist of Mexican Bromeliaceae with notes on species distribution and levels of endemism. Selbyana 25:75-76.
León (J. S. Sauget) & Alain (E. E. Liogier). 1946-1969. Flora de Cuba
Smith, L. B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 14(2):899-901.
Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Reference
Environmental	ornamental	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Environmental	ornamental	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening 4:473.
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. 2025. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=310398. Accessed 8 September 2025.