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tillandsia

(Science: botany) A genus of epiphytic endogenous plants found in the southern united states and in tropical America. Tillandsia usneoides, called long moss, black moss, spanish moss, and Florida moss, has a very slender pendulous branching stem, and forms great hanging tufts on the branches of trees. It is often used for stuffing mattresses.

Origin: NL. So named after Prof. Tillands, of Abo, in Finland.