the desert regions of southwestern United States, dried Spanish moss is sometimes used in the manufacture of evaporative coolers, colloquially known as "swamp coolers" (and in some areas as "desert coolers"), which are used to cool homes and offices much less expensively than air conditioners. The cooling technology uses a pump that squirts water onto a pad made of Spanish moss plants; a fan then pulls air through the pad, and into the building. Evaporation of the water on the pads serves to reduce air temperature, cooling the building. Varieties and cultivars Tillandsia 'Maurice's Robusta' Tillandsia 'Munro's Filiformis' – a natural variety with very fine, green leaves that is native to Paraguay and that is also known in the United States by the trade designations Tillandsia usneoides and , it conforms to the description of the now-defunct variety Tillandsia usneoides var. filiformis (André) Mez Tillandsia 'Odin's Genuina' : a natural variety with brown rather than green or yellow flower petals that is native to Guatemala and Mexico Tillandsia 'Spanish Gold' Tillandsia 'Tight and Curly' Hybrids Tillandsia 'Nezley' (Tillandsia usneoides × mallemontii) Tillandsia 'Kimberly' (Tillandsia usneoides × recurvata) Tillandsia 'Old Man's Gold' (Tillandsia crocata × usneoides) See also Lace lichen, an organism of similar habit and appearance References Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The Plant Book. A Portable Dictionary of the Higher Plants. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. . External links Spanish Moss: Its History, Nature and Uses — Beaufort County Library Florida Forest Plants Florida Spanish Moss: Theory — Does Spanish Moss kill trees? What’s in a name? Itla-okla, ʻUmiʻumi-o-Dole, Spanish Moss Flowers Used for Lei Tillandsia Plants described in 1762 Epiphytes Flora of the Caribbean Flora of Central America Flora of Mexico Flora of South America Flora of the Southeastern United States Flora of the South-Central United States Flora of the Bahamas Flora of Bermuda Flora without expected TNC conservation status