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Save Florida's native Bromeliads
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Posted by johnsbromeliads Florida 9 (My Page) on Wed, Jan 24, 07 at 14:05
Bromeliads are mostly tropical plants, and most of the species found here in Florida like warm humid conditions. Florida's hammocks and swamps provide ideal canopy conditions needed by most species. They are often called air plants, because some may grow terrestrially (on the ground), but most are epiphytes, growing on tree trunks and branches.
Of Florida's 16 speces, 13 are not found anywhere else. The rarest bromeliads in Florida are Guzmania monostachia, Catposis nutans, Catposis floribunda, and Catopsis berteroniana, and are only found in the lowest part of the state. Florida bromeliads are very different than the ones found in the West Indies, there is specific genetic variation in species from Florida, esp. Tillandsia fasciculata.
All the native bromeliads in Florida are under attack from a Weevil called 'Metamasius callizona'. It is wideley thought to have been introduced into Florida from Mexico in the mid 80's.
Enormous numbers of insects are caught annually by USDA inspectors at US ports and airports in shipments of plant material. Between 1973 and 1987, specimens of Metamasius callizona were caught 14 times by inspectors, and all were shipped from Mexico. Because inspections on shipments are made fewer than 2% of the time, the probaility is very high that living M. callizona is being forwarded to importers in the US. Importers have reported finding living Weevil's in shipping containers from Mexico. One of the USDA records reported that Tillandsia 'tricolor' as the plants that were caught in the shippments.
The evidence alone shows a very high probability that the M.callizona population is now well established here in Florida, and it came from Mexico in shipments of Tillandsia's.
Though a lot of damage is now being done here in Florida by the Metamasius callizona Weevil's, it could be a lot worse if other bromeliad-eating weevil's get here. If anyone does not use one of the two methods to rid these pests, they should be held liable to legal action.
Should anyone like more information on this topic, please contact the University of Florida departments of Entomology and Nematology at: http://savebromeliads.ifas.ufl.edu/bromeliads.htm/
Thanks, John
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Here is a link that might be useful: JohnsBromeliads
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Save Florida's native Bromeliads
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| It seems that Florida is often the first to be attacked by imported critters, so it's good to know what's out there even though it might not affect me personally - yet. BTW you have a very beautiful and informative website. Thanks for sharing that link. Monica |
RE: Save Florida's native Bromeliads
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I used to work at the Tampa Dock's years ago. The stuff that use to go on at the Banana Docks would stand your hair on end. With three major ports in Florida, Tampa, Jacksonville, and Miami, they could not stop the Med Fly, Citrus Canker, or anything, or "anybody" from gettin in here. I can rember going to work in the morning, and finding your car covered in what ever the State sprayed for over night.
Did you look up that University of Florida website I mentioned ? |
Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.freewebs.com/jacksbromeliads/
RE: Save Florida's native Bromeliads
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| Yes, I did check out the University website. Yikes! This weevil could be a threat to all the Gulf Coast. Spanish moss is the bromeliad Tillandsia usneoides, so we all need to know about this weevil. What would the deep South look like without Spanish Moss? |
RE: Save Florida's native Bromeliads
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| Does this affect all the Tillandsias? |
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