Tillandsia brachycaulos

Epiphytes in the neotropics have experienced dramatic population decreases mainly because of habitat loss and extraction activities, which have driven many species close to extinction (Mondragon et al. 2006). Ongoing threats include logging, urban sprawl, conversion of habitat to agricultural land, road construction and tourism. However, microclimatic conditions in fragmented landscapes, which are generally drier and more exposed force a shift from shade loving, mesic to sun loving and drought tolerant bromeliads (Wolf 2005, Filho and Leme 2006, Cascante-Marin et al. 2008). Collections in logged and secondary forests, cultivated fields, and grazed thickets and on roadsides indicate a good ability to persist and regenerate in disturbed and secondary habitats. Many bromeliads have become very important horticultural plants because of their unique appearance (Barfuss et al. 2005). Bromeliads may also be of ornamental or ceremonial value to the indigenous people. As a consequence, there is a local and rapidly expanding international market for bromeliads, which are collected in large numbers from wild populations without control of the extraction rate (Read 1989, Wolf and Konings 2001). Grey leaved Tillandsia, such as T. brachycaulos are considered the most at risk from the horticultural trade. T. brachycaulos is among the 13th most heavily traded Tillandsia spp. in the USA and among the nine most traded in the UK (Benzing 2000). Tillandsia species, especially xerophyitc ones, are relatively difficult to propagate and take several years to flower from seeds. Propagation by offsets, which form after flowering, is only in a limited number. These increase the incentive to collect wild specimen for direct sale. There is considerable evidence that many plants for sale are collected from the wild in Central and South America (Read 1989, Wolf and Konnings 2001).

This species has been collected within several conservation units, throughout its range; however, the system of protected areas may not always prevent illegal logging and extraction (Valero et al. 2001). Surveys and censuses should be conducted in historic, known and potential sites of occurrence to determine the current size and range of the population and whether local extinction has occurred. The population should be monitored at regular intervals and its dynamics studied. Because population persistence strongly relies on the survival of adult plants, harvesting bromeliads for ornamental or other purposes should be restricted to immature individuals (Winkler et al. 2007). Trade should be controlled and laws enforced in countries of origin. In 1989, Read called for the immediate inclusion of Bromeliaceae on Appendix II of CITES and grey leaved Tillandsia on Appendix I (Read 1989).