Collecting Bromeliad Seeds for “Save Florida’s Native Bromeliads” Project
Florida’s native bromeliads are being destroyed by an invasive pest,
the Mexican bromeliad weevil (Metamasius callizona). While research
on weevil management is in progress, collecting seeds of the
bromeliads at risk is vital to ensuring their continued survival.
The following steps outline the necessary procedures to follow when
collecting seeds for the Save Florida’s Native Bromeliads project.
Details can be found at http://SaveBromeliads.ifas.ufl.edu/seeds.htm.
STEP 5: SEND SEEDS TO THE GROWER
STEP 1: KNOW THE RULES
 Only seeds may be collected (not plants).
 When collecting bromeliad seeds, you must carry with you
written landowner permission and the “Regulated Plant Index
Harvesting Permit.”
 You must record and submit certain collection details.
 All collected seeds must be sent to a project-designated grower.
Label seeds from each plant and mail to the nearest projectdesignated grower as soon as possible:
John F. Russell
Russell’s Bromeliads
1690 Beardall Ave.
Sanford, FL 32771-9884
(407) 322-0864
Rusbrom@gdi.net
STEP 2: DECIDE WHERE TO COLLECT SEEDS
With the appropriate permit, seeds may be collected from any
natural area. A list of parks for which permits have been obtained is
maintained on the project’s Web site
(http://SaveBromeliads.ifas.ufl.edu/seeds.htm). You may collect seeds
of bromeliads growing on your own property without a permit, but do
not collect from anywhere that native bromeliads have been brought in
from elsewhere. Seeds are mainly available during the spring months.
Watch the bromeliads in your area for opening seed capsules to plan
your collection trips.
STEP 3: GET APPROPRIATE PERMITS
Unless you are collecting seeds from your own property, you will
need written permission from the landowner (or administrator if public
land), as well as a state-issued permit. We can provide a copy of
landowner and state permits for some natural areas, including some
state and county parks. If you would like to collect seeds for a
property from which we do not have permits, we may be able to request
them for you. You can also get the permits yourself by requesting a
letter of permission from the property owner, then submitting it with a
completed form DACS 08051 (Request for Permit to Harvest
Endangered or Exploited Plant(s) or Plant Parts). You can download the
permit application form at
http://doacs.state.fl.us/onestop/plt/plantinspinst.html) or request it
from: DACS/Plant Industry, PO Box 147100, Gainesville, FL 326147100 (tel: 352-372-3505).
STEP 4: COLLECT SEEDS
Seeds should be collected from the following 11 species of
bromeliads: Tillandsia utriculata, Tillandsia fasciculata, Tillandsia
balbisiana, Tillandsia flexuosa, Tillandsia paucifolia, Tillandsia pruinosa,
Tillandsia variabilis, Guzmania monostachia, Catopsis berteroniana,
Catopsis floribunda, Catopsis nutans. Find plants growing low enough to
collect seeds safely. Do not climb trees to collect seeds. For each
plant: 1.) photograph the plant if possible, for inclusion in the database;
2.) remove some of the seeds, leaving the rest for natural propagation,
and place them in a small container, envelope or bag; DO NOT LEAVE
SEEDS WHERE THEY WILL OVERHEAT, AND KEEP CONTAINERS
OPEN, SINCE SEEDS NEED AIR TO GERMINATE LATER; 3.) label
with date, place, habitat, species, plant number (if collecting from
more than one plant of the same species) and photograph number (to
match later with plant number); and 4.) keep a record of collection
information for each plant.
Phil Fenner
Glades Botanical Garden
4500 Gateway Lane
LaBelle, FL 33935-8477
(863) 612-1067
pfenner@aol.com
STEP 6: FIND LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE
COORDINATES
For questions or more
information, contact Dr.
Howard Frank’s lab at the
University of Florida:
Entomology & Nematology
Dept.
PO Box 110620
Gainesville, FL 32611
Tel: (352) 392-1901 ext.
122, 128 or 187
Email:
bclarson@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
or jhf@mail.ifas.ufl.edu
You can find coordinates from maps at the Topozone Web site
(http://www.topozone.com) or the MapBlast Web site
(http://www.mapblast.com), or you can calculate them using any map
that includes latitude and longitude lines. Detailed instructions for
calculating latitude and longitude are found at
http://SaveBromeliads.ifas.ufl.edu/seeds.htm.
E. Hall
STEP 7: SUBMIT SEED COLLECTION FORM
AND ANY PLANT PHOTOS
The form requests information about how to contact you and
about the collection details (date, habitat, exact place, latitude and
longitude, species). You must also provide the permit number or
relationship to landowner if no permit is required.
Either fill in and submit the form on-line at the FCBS Web site
(http://fcbs.org) or mail the form to the database coordinator (Seed
Collection Project, c/o Carolyn Schoenau, Database Coordinator, PO
Box 12981, Gainesville, FL 32604-0981).
If you have taken a picture of the plant, email a digital image to
webmaster@fcbs.org or send prints or slides to be scanned to the
contact address at left (Attn: Barbra Larson). Originals will be
returned.
STEP 8: REVIEW
E. Hall
 Decide where you will collect seeds.
 Obtain appropriate permits.
 Taking only some seeds from each plant, label vial or bag and keep
records (photograph plant, if possible).
 Send seeds to the grower.
 Find latitude/longitude coordinates.
 Submit seed collection form to database coordinator.
 Send photos or digital images, if you have them.
Although this poster was funded in part by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency under the National Environmental Education Act
grants program, it may not necessarily reflect the views of the
Agency and no official endorsement should be inferred.