Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) closely resembles its namesake (Usnea, or beard lichen). However, Spanish moss is not biologically related to either mosses or lichens. Instead, it is a flowering plant in the family Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) that grows hanging from tree branches in full sun or partial shade. It ranges from the southeastern United States (Southern VA and eastern MD) to Argentina, growing wherever the climate is warm enough and has a relatively high average humidity.
The plant consists of a slender stem bearing alternate thin, curved or curly, heavily scaled leaves 2-6 cm long and 1 mm broad, that grow vegetatively in chain-like fashion (pendant) to form hanging structures 1-2 m in length, occasionally more. The plant lacks roots and its flowers are tiny and inconspicuous. It propagates both by seed and vegetatively by fragments that blow on the wind and stick to tree limbs, or are carried by birds as nesting material.
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2007-09-06 06:33 Gh5046 1944×2916×8 (2632173 bytes) Photographer: myself, [[User:Gh5046|Gh5046]] A picture of [[Spanish moss]] taken 2007/08/29 at the [[McBryde Garden]] in Hawaii on the island of Kaua'i. The photo is in its original state.
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Tillandsia usneoides
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6 September 2007
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{{BotMoveToCommons|en.wikipedia}} {{Information |Description={{en|Photographer: myself, Gh5046 A picture of en:Spanish moss taken 2007/08/29 at the en:McBryde Garden in Hawaii on the island of Kaua'i. The photo is in its
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