Tectorum weird pups

I have an outdoor Tillandsia garden. I have grown this one from a baby. It is pupping, although it has never flowered. It now has these strange little baby tum's growing, not from the base or an internal notch, but instead on the leaf of the Tectorum. I saw this happening once with the Treptow philia I had a head flowered that had copious silvery roots, but then I didn't water it enough and the little tiny plants on the roots disappeared although the pup plants at its face are really vibrant. I know some Tillandsia are viviparous but I can't find any write up on anything like this.