Transcriptome data has historically been obtained from samples preserved under special conditions, such as freezing. In this study, we extracted RNA from leaf tissue from plants in the genus Pitcairnia that were dried and left at room temperature for six months. High quality RNA was obtained from the six month dried samples. This methodology could enable the study of transcriptomes from previously collected herbarium samples or samples that can only be collected in long distance fieldwork. Using the transcriptomes, we examined the diversity of species that grow across the Dominican Republic and the correlation between gene flow and the island's topography.