Tillandsia aeranthos (eye–RAHN–thos) grows epiphytically from near sea level to several hundred meters in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay. It has a preference for mature tipa trees (Tipuana tipu) and tends to grow singly or in small clusters of two to a dozen plants. It is very similar in appearance to T. bergeri but a look at the blooms of the two will show how different they are.
 
(A10034)