Editing Tillandsia (section)

==Description==
[[File:Tillandsia stricta 2.jpg|thumb|219x219px|''[[Tillandsia stricta]]'']]
''Tillandsia'' are [[Perennial (plant)|perennial]] [[herbaceous plant]]s which exhibit a multitude of physiological and morphological differences making this a diverse genus. Having native habitats that vary from being epiphytic and [[saxicolous]], species have certain adaptations, such as root systems designed to anchor to other plants or substrates, and modified trichomes for water and nutrient intake. Some of the species, like the majority of [[Bromeliaceae]], grow as funnel bromeliads, with a compressed stem axis. The leaves are then close together in rosettes, and cover the lower areas of the leaves, forming a funnel for collecting water.<ref name="Mendoza" />

These leaf rosettes, a common physical characteristic in ''Tillandsia'' species, collect nutrients and water. The flowers typically involve bright, vibrant colors, with blooms or [[inflorescence]]s produced on a stalk or several stalks.<ref>Steens Andrew (2003); Bromeliads for the contemporary garden , Timber Press, Portland, USA. ({{ISBN|0-88192-604-3}})</ref> The flower's color varies greatly; red, yellow, purple and pink flowers exist in this genus, and multicolored flowers are known. The bright colors attract [[pollinator]]s. An air plant's foliage may also change color when it blooms, also attracting pollinators. The [[hermaphrodite]] flowers are threefold with double [[perianth]]. The three free [[sepal]]s are symmetrical and pointed. The seeds have a "parachute" similar to the [[dandelion]].<ref>Lyman B. Smith , RJ Downs: Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae). In: Flora Neotropica , vol. 14, 2, 1979, p. 665.</ref>

Common pollinators of this genus include [[moth]]s, [[hummingbird]]s and, more recently recognized, bats.<ref>Aguilar-Rodríguez, P., Macswiney, C., Krömer, T., García-Franco, J., Knauer, A., Kessler, M. March 2014. First record of bat-pollination in the species-rich genus Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae). Annals of Botany. Vol. 113(6) pp. 1047–1055.</ref>