Bromeliaceae is a
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of monocot
flowering plantThe flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s of around 3,170 species native mainly to the
tropicalThe tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...
AmericasThe Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, with a few species found in the American
subtropicsThe subtropics are the geographical and climatical zone of the Earth immediately north and south of the tropical zone, which is bounded by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, at latitudes 23.5°N and 23.5°S...
and one in tropical
west AfricaWest Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
,
Pitcairnia felicianaPitcairnia feliciana from West Africa is the only species of the Bromeliaceae family not from the Americas. It can be found growing on steep rocks and cliffs in Republic of Guinea. The species probably originates from seeds spread out by migrating birds....
. It is one of the basal families within the
PoalesPoales is a large order of flowering plants in the monocotyledons, and includes families of plants such as the grasses, bromeliads, and sedges. Sixteen plant families are currently recognized by botanists to be part of Poales....
and is unique because it is the only family within the order that has
septal nectariesA septal nectary is nectar-producing tissue that is found in the wall of a plant ovary. Septal nectaries function as a way of attracting pollinators. Plants that rely on insects, birds, or bats for pollination often have septal nectaries...
and
inferior ovariesIn the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the base of the petals and sepals...
. These
inferior ovariesIn the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the base of the petals and sepals...
characterize the
BromelioideaeBromelioideae is a subfamily of the bromeliads . This subfamily is the most diverse, represented by the greatest number of genera with 32, but the least number of species with 861. Most of the plants in this group are epiphytes, though some have evolved in, or will adapt to, terrestrial conditions...
, a subfamily of the Bromeliaceae. The family includes both
epiphyteAn epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
s, such as
Spanish mossSpanish moss is a flowering plant that grows upon larger trees, commonly the Southern Live Oak or Bald Cypress in the southeastern United States....
(
Tillandsia usneoides), and
terrestrialA terrestrial plant is one that grows on land. Other types of plants are aquatic , epiphytic , lithophytes and aerial ....
species, such as the
pineapplePineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
(
Ananas comosus). Many bromeliads are able to store water in a structure formed by their tightly-overlapping
leafA leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
bases. However, the family is diverse enough to include the tank bromeliads, grey-leaved epiphytic
TillandsiaTillandsia is a genus of around 540 species in the Bromeliad family , found in the forests, mountains, and deserts, of Central and South America, and Mexico and the southern United States in North America....
species that gather water only from leaf structures called
trichomeTrichomes are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants and certain protists. These are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae.- Algal trichomes :...
s, and a large number of desert-dwelling succulents.
The largest bromeliad is
Puya raimondiiPuya Raimondi, also known as Queen of the Andes is an endemic species of the altoandina zone of Bolivia and Peru, found at an altitude of 3200 – 4800 m...
, which reaches 3–4 m tall in vegetative growth with a flower spike 9–10 m tall, and the smallest is probably
Spanish mossSpanish moss is a flowering plant that grows upon larger trees, commonly the Southern Live Oak or Bald Cypress in the southeastern United States....
.
Description
Bromeliads are a varied group of organisms, adapted to a number of climates. Foliage take different shapes, from needle thin to broad and flat, symmetrical to irregular, spiky and soft. The foliage, which usually grows in a
rosetteIn botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at a single height.Though rosettes usually sit near the soil, their structure is an example of a modified stem.-Function:...
, is the most widely patterned and colored of any plant in the world. Leaf colors range from maroon, through shades of green, to gold. Varieties may have leaves with red, yellow, white and cream variegations. Others may be spotted with purple, red, or cream, while others have different colors on the tops and bottoms of the leaves.
The
inflorescenceAn inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
produced by bromeliads are also regarded as considerably more diverse than any other plant family. Some flower spikes may reach 10 meters tall while others only measure 2–3 mm across. Upright stalks may be branched or simple with spikes retaining their color from two weeks up to twelve months, depending on species. In some species the flower remains unseen, growing deep in the base of the plants.
Root systems vary according to plant type. Terrestrial bromeliad species have complex root systems that gather water and nutrients while
epiphyticAn epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
bromeliads only grow hard, wiry roots to attach themselves to trees and rocks.
Some bromeliads are faintly scented while others are heavily perfumed. Blooms from the species
Tillandsia cyaneaTillandsia cyanea or Pink Quill is a species of flowering plant in the bromeliad family, subfamily Tillandsioideae. An epiphyte native to Ecuador, T. cyanea is among the most commonly cultivated bromeliad species. The foliage grows in a rosette of thin, recurved leaves and the inflorescence is a...
resemble the smell of clove spice.
One study found 175,000 bromeliads per hectare (2.5 acres) in one forest; that many bromeliads can sequester 50,000 liters (more than 13,000 gallons) of water.
A wide variety of organisms take advantage of the pools of water trapped by bromeliads. A study of 209 plants from the
EcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
ian
lowlandIn physical geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level. The term is thus applied to the landward portion of the upward slope from oceanic depths to continental highlands, to a region of depression in the interior of a mountainous region, to a plain of denudation, or...
s identified 11,219 animals, representing more than 300 distinct species, many found only on bromeliads; for instance, some species of
ostracodOstracoda is a class of the Crustacea, sometimes known as the seed shrimp because of their appearance. Some 65,000 species have been identified, grouped into several orders....
s, small
salamanderSalamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
s approximately 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) in length and
tree frogHylidae is a wide-ranging family of frogs commonly referred to as "tree frogs and their allies". However, the hylids include a diversity of frog species, many of which do not live in trees, but are terrestrial or semi-aquatic.-Characteristics:...
s.
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n bromeliads are home to
MetopauliasMetopaulias is a monotypic genus of fully terrestrial land crabs which do not require to go back to the sea to spawn. Metopaulias depressus is a reddish-brown crab about wide which lives in the pools of water which form in the leaves of bromeliads in Jamaica...
depressus, a reddish-brown
crabTrue crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
2 cm (0.75 inch) across, which has evolved social behavior to protect its young from predation by
Diceratobasis macrogasterDiceratobasis macrogaster is a species of damselfly in family Coenagrionidae. It is endemic to Jamaica. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
, a species of
damselflyDamselflies are insects in the order Odonata. Damselflies are similar to dragonflies, but the adults can be distinguished by the fact that the wings of most damselflies are held along, and parallel to, the body when at rest...
whose
larvaA larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e live in bromeliads. Some bromeliads even form homes for other species of bromeliads.
Distribution
Plants in the Bromeliaceae are widely represented in their natural climates across the Americas. One species can be found in Africa. They can be found at altitudes from sea level to 4200 meters, from
rainforestsTropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
to
desertA desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
s. Approximately half the species are
epiphyteAn epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
s, some are
lithophyteLithophytes are a type of plant that grows in or on rocks. Lithophytes feed off moss, nutrients in rain water, litter, and even their own dead tissue....
s, and some are terrestrial. Accordingly, these plants can be found in the Andean highlands, from northern
ChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
to
ColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, in the
Sechura DesertThe Sechura Desert is located south of the Piura Region of Peru along the Pacific Ocean coast and inland to the foothills of the Andes Mountains...
of coastal
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, in the
cloud forestA cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
s of Central and South America, in southern
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from southern
VirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
to
FloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and in far southern
ArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
Evolution
Bromeliads are one of the more recent plant groups to have emerged. The greatest number of primitive species reside in the
AndeanThe Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
highlands of South America where they originated in the
tepuiA tepui , or tepuy, is a table-top mountain or mesa found in the Guiana Highlands of South America, especially in Venezuela. The word tepui means "house of the gods" in the native tongue of the Pemon, the indigenous people who inhabit the Gran Sabana....
s of the Guyana Shield. The most basal genus
BrocchiniaBrocchinia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. However, a recent DNA study suggests the breakup of the Pitcairnioideae subfamily into 6 new subfamilies and Brocchinia would be the sole genus of new subfamily Brocchinioideae . The genus is named for Giovanni...
is endemic to these tepuis and is placed as the
sister groupCladistics is a method of classifying species of organisms into groups called clades, which consist of an ancestor organism and all its descendants . For example, birds, dinosaurs, crocodiles, and all descendants of their most recent common ancestor form a clade...
to the remaining
generaIn biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
in the family. The
west AfricaWest Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n species
Pitcairnia felicianaPitcairnia feliciana from West Africa is the only species of the Bromeliaceae family not from the Americas. It can be found growing on steep rocks and cliffs in Republic of Guinea. The species probably originates from seeds spread out by migrating birds....
is the only bromeliad not endemic to the Americas, and is thought to have reached Africa via long-distance dispersal approximately 12 million years ago.
Adaptations
The plants within the Bromeliaceae are able to live in a vast array of environmental conditions due to their many adaptations. Trichomes, in the form of scales or hairs, allow bromeliads to capture water in cloud forests and help to reflect sunlight in desert environments. Some bromeliads have also developed an adaptation known as the tank habit, which involves the bromeliads forming a tightly bound structure with their leaves that helps to capture water and nutrients in the absence of a well-developed root system. Bromeliads also use
crassulacean acid metabolismCrassulacean acid metabolism, also known as CAM photosynthesis, is a carbon fixation pathway that evolved in some plants as an adaptation to arid conditions. The stomata in the leaves remain shut during the day to reduce evapotranspiration, but open at night to collect carbon dioxide...
(CAM)
photosynthesisPhotosynthesis is a chemical process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of bacteria, but not in archaea. Photosynthetic organisms are called photoautotrophs, since they can...
to create sugars. This adaptation allows bromeliads in hot or dry climates to open their stomates at night rather than during the day, which prevents them from losing water.
Classification
The family Bromeliaceae is currently placed in the order
PoalesPoales is a large order of flowering plants in the monocotyledons, and includes families of plants such as the grasses, bromeliads, and sedges. Sixteen plant families are currently recognized by botanists to be part of Poales....
, and traditionally is organized into 3 subfamilies.
Subfamilies
The family Bromeliaceae is organized into 3 subfamilies:
- Bromelioideae
Bromelioideae is a subfamily of the bromeliads . This subfamily is the most diverse, represented by the greatest number of genera with 32, but the least number of species with 861. Most of the plants in this group are epiphytes, though some have evolved in, or will adapt to, terrestrial conditions...
(32 genera, 861 species)
- Pitcairnioideae
Pitcairnioideae is the terrestrial subfamily of the bromeliads with over 1000 species in 16 genera. Unlike the many epiphytes and lithophytes which comprise the rest of the family, with a few exceptions, all of the members of this subfamily are either terrestrial or saxicolous...
(16 genera, 1030 species)
- Tillandsioideae
Tillandsioideae is a subfamily of plants in the bromeliad family Bromeliaceae. This group contains the fewest genera but the greatest number of species . Most are epiphytic or lithophytic, growing in trees or on rocks where they absorb water and nutrients from the air. Spanish moss of the...
(9 genera, 1277 species)
Genera
- Acanthostachys
Acanthostachys is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “acanthos” and “stachys” .-Species:...
KlotzschJohann Friedrich Klotzsch was a German pharmacist and botanist.His principal work was in the field of mycology, with the study and description of many species of mushroom.-Selected works:...
- Aechmea
Aechmea is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The name comes from the Greek “aichme” . Aechmea has 8 subgenera and 255 species distributed from Mexico through South America...
RuizHipólito Ruiz López , or Hipólito Ruiz, was a Spanish botanist known for researching the floras of Peru and Chile during an expedition under Carlos III from 1777 to 1788...
& Pav.
- Alcantarea
Alcantarea is related to the genus Vriesea of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae.-Species:* Alcantarea benzingii Leme...
- Ananas
The genus Ananas belongs to the Bromeliad family . It is best known for the species Ananas comosus, the pineapple.This genus originated in Mesoamerica and was brought to the Caribbean Islands by the Carib natives...
Mill. — Includes the pineapplePineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
.
- Androlepis
Androlepis is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “andros” and “lepis” .-External links:* photos...
Brongn. ex Houllet
- Araeococcus
Araeococcus is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “araios” and the Latin “coccus” . This genus is divided into two subgenera: the type subgenus and Pseudaraeococcus Mez. Is originally from Venezuela.-Species:* Araeococcus...
Brongn.
- Billbergia
Billbergia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus is named for the Swedish botanist, zoologist, and anatomist Gustaf Johan Billberg. This genus is divided into two subgenera: Billbergia and Helicodea...
Thunb.
- Brewcaria
Brewcaria is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus is named for Charles Brewer-Carías, Venezuelan explorer and naturalist.-Species:* Brewcaria brocchinioides B. Holst...
L.B.Sm., Steyerm. & H.Rob
- Brocchinia
Brocchinia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. However, a recent DNA study suggests the breakup of the Pitcairnioideae subfamily into 6 new subfamilies and Brocchinia would be the sole genus of new subfamily Brocchinioideae . The genus is named for Giovanni...
Schult.f.
- Bromelia
Bromelia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. Bromelia species are characterized by flowers with a deeply cleft calyx. The genus is named after the Swedish medical doctor and botanist Olaf Bromelius .-Species:* Bromelia agavifolia Brongniart ex Houllet*...
L.
- Canistropsis
Canistropsis is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the genus Canistrum and the Greek “opsis” . All 11 species of this genus are endemic to Brazil.-Species:...
- Canistrum
Canistrum is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus names is from the Greek “kanistron” . This genus is endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. There are currently 13 species divided into two subgenra: Canistrum and Cucullatanthus Leme.-Species:*...
E.MorrenCharles Jacques Édouard Morren , was a Belgian botanist, professor of botany and director of the Jardin botanique de l'Université de Liège from 1857-1886. His special field of study was the Bromeliaceae on which family he was the recognised authority...
- Catopsis
Catopsis is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “kata” and “opsis” . Catopsis is a genus of plants that can be found from Florida to the eastern parts of Brazil, including the Caribbean...
Griseb.August Heinrich Rudolf Grisebach was a German botanist and phytogeographer. Born in Hannover on April 17, 1814, he died at Göttingen on May 9, 1879.- Biography :...
- Connellia
Connellia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus name is for Frederick Vavasour McConnell, English ornithologist and biologist .-Species:* Connellia augustae N.E. Brown...
N.E.Br.
- Cottendorfia
Cottendorfia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus name is for Johann Georg Freiherr Cotta von Cottendorf, German patron of the sciences .-Links:* photos...
Schult.f. |
Cryptanthus Cryptanthus is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “cryptos” and “anthos” . This genus has two recognized subgenera: the type subgenus and Hoplocryptanthus Mez. All species of this genus are endemic to Brazil...
OttoChristoph Friedrich Otto was a German gardener and botanist. He was born in Schneeberg, Saxony. From 1805 to 1843 he was inspector of the Botanical Garden in Berlin. Together with Albert Gottfried Dietrich he edited the Allgemeinen Gartenzeitung from 1833 until his death in 1856 in Berlin.The...
& A.Dietr.
DeinacanthonDeinacanthon is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “deinos” - terrible and “anthos” - flower.-External links:* photos*...
DeuterocohniaDeuterocohnia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus is named for Ferdinand Julius Cohn, German botanist and bacteriologist....
MezCarl Christian Mez was a German botanist and university professor. He is denoted by the author abbreviation Mez when citing a botanical name.-Life and work:...
DisteganthusDisteganthus is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “dis” , “steg” , and “anthos” . They are considered a primitive genus among bromeliads and are only found in terrestrial environments...
Lem.
DyckiaDyckia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae.The genus is named after the Prussian botanist, botanical artist and horticulturist The Prince and Earl of Salm Reifferscheid-Dyck ....
Schult.f.
EdmundoaEdmundoa is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus is named for Edmundo Pereira, Brazilian botanist and has only recently been recognized as an independent genus, grouped earlier with Canistrum....
EduandreaEduandrea is a monotypic genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. It contains a single species, Eduandrea selloana. The former genus Andrea has been ruled invalid and renamed Eduandrea in honor of the collector Édouard François André . It is endemic to Brazil....
EncholiriumEncholirium is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “enchos” and “leiron” ....
Mart. ex Schult.f.
FasciculariaFascicularia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Latin “fasciculus” and “arius”...
MezCarl Christian Mez was a German botanist and university professor. He is denoted by the author abbreviation Mez when citing a botanical name.-Life and work:...
FernseeaFernseea is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus was named in honor of Moravian-Austrian botanist and physician at Vienna, Dr. Heinrich Ritter Wawra von Fernsee by John Gilbert Baker .-Species:...
BakerJohn Gilbert Baker was an English botanist.Baker was born in Guisborough, the son of John and Mary Baker and educated at Quaker schools in Ackworth and York....
FosterellaFosterella is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus is named after Mulford B. Foster, American horticulturist and collector .-Species:* Fosterella albicans L.B. Smith...
L.B.Sm.
GlomeropitcairniaGlomeropitcarnia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus name is from the Latin “glomero” and the genus Pitcairnia....
MezCarl Christian Mez was a German botanist and university professor. He is denoted by the author abbreviation Mez when citing a botanical name.-Life and work:...
GreigiaGreigia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus is named in honor of Major General von Greigia, president of the Russian Horticultural Society in 1865....
RegelEduard August von Regel was a German horticulturalist and botanist. He ended his career serving as the Director of the Russian Imperial Botanical Garden of St. Petersburg...
GuzmaniaGuzmania is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus name is for Anastasio Guzman, Spanish pharmacist and naturalist.Several species of this genus are cultivated as indoor and outdoor garden plants...
RuizHipólito Ruiz López , or Hipólito Ruiz, was a Spanish botanist known for researching the floras of Peru and Chile during an expedition under Carlos III from 1777 to 1788...
& Pav.
HechtiaHechtia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus is named for Julius Gottfried Conrad Hecht , German counselor to the King of Prussia.. Except for H. gayorum, the plants of this genus are dioecious.-Species:-External links:* photos...
KlotzschJohann Friedrich Klotzsch was a German pharmacist and botanist.His principal work was in the field of mycology, with the study and description of many species of mushroom.-Selected works:...
|
HohenbergiaHohenbergia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is for the Prince of Württemburg, German patron of botany known as Hohenberg. This genus has two recognized subgenera: the type subgenus and Wittmackiopsis Mez.-Species:* Hohenbergia abbreviata L.B...
Schult.f.
HohenbergiopsisHohenbergiopsis is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the genus “Hohenbergia” and the Greek “opsis” because it resembles the genus Hohenbergia.-External links:* photos...
L.B.Sm. & Read
LindmaniaLindmania is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus name is for Carl Axel Magnus Lindman, Swedish botanist .-Species:* Lindmania arachnoidea L.B. Smith...
MezCarl Christian Mez was a German botanist and university professor. He is denoted by the author abbreviation Mez when citing a botanical name.-Life and work:...
LymaniaLymania is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus was established in 1984 to "unite furrowed or winged species from Aechmea subgenus Lamprococcus, Araeococcus and Ronnbergia" a group of plants native to the Bahian coast of the Brazilian rainforest...
Read
MezobromeliaMezobromelia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus name is for Carl Christian Mez, German botanist .The species of this genus are rare in cultivation. They are native to Colombia and Ecuador....
L.B.Sm.
NaviaNavia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. Described as early as 1830 in Guyana, they are commonly cultivated for their colorful foliage and inflorescence.-Species:* Navia abysmophila L.B. Smith...
Schult.f.
NeoglazioviaNeoglaziova is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus is named in honor of Auguste François Marie Glaziou, French landscape architect and bromeliad collector .-Species:...
MezCarl Christian Mez was a German botanist and university professor. He is denoted by the author abbreviation Mez when citing a botanical name.-Life and work:...
NeoregeliaNeoregelia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is for Eduard August von Regel, director of St. Petersburg Botanic Gardens in Russia ....
L.B.Sm.
NidulariumNidularium is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. Named to describe the nestling characteristic of the inflorescence , they are endemic to Brazil. Commonly confused with Neoregelia which they resemble, this plant group was first described in 1854.-Species:*...
Lem.
OchagaviaOchagavia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus is named for Sylvestris Ochagavia, Chilean minister of education. Endemic to southern and central Chile, this genus is represented by four described species....
Phil.
OrthophytumOrthophytum is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae.-Species:* Orthophytum albopictum Philcox* Orthophytum alvimii W. Weber...
PepiniaPepinia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus name is for Pierre Denis Pépin, French member of the Imperial and Central Society of Agriculture . This genus has been merged with Pitcairnia by some taxonomists.-Species:* Pepinia agavifolia G.S...
PitcairniaPitcairnia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. It was named for Dr. William Pitcairn, English physician and gardener . The genus Pitcairnia ranks as the second most prolific of the bromeliad family...
L'Her.
PorteaPortea is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae, and is native to the Atlantic coast of Brazil.-Characteristics:...
K. Koch
PseudaechmeaPseudaechmea is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “pseudos” and the genus Aechmea. The genus was established by Lyman Smith in 1988 along with Steyerbromelia, Brewcaria, and Lymania....
L.B.Sm. & Read |
PseudananasPseudananas is a monotypic genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “pseudos” and the genus Ananas.-External links:* * * photos...
Hassl. ex Harms
PuyaPuya is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. These terrestrial plants are native to the Andes Mountains of South America and southern Central America...
MolinaFr. Juan Ignacio Molina was a Chilean Jesuit priest, naturalist, historian, botanist, ornithologist and geographer...
QuesneliaQuesnelia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus is named For M. Quesnel, French consul to French Guiana. Endemic to eastern Brazil, this genus contains 20 species...
Gaudich.
RacinaeaRacinaea is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus is named for Racine Foster, wife of Mulford B. Foster and co-founder of the BSI-Species:* Racinaea adpressa J.R. Grant...
RonnbergiaRonnbergia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. Native to South America, this genus was named for Auguste Ronnberg, Belgian Director of Agriculture and Horticulture in 1874.-Species:...
E.MorrenCharles Jacques Édouard Morren , was a Belgian botanist, professor of botany and director of the Jardin botanique de l'Université de Liège from 1857-1886. His special field of study was the Bromeliaceae on which family he was the recognised authority...
& AndréÉdouard François André was a French horticulturalist, landscape designer, as well as a leading landscape architect of the late 19th century, famous for designing city parks and public spaces of Monte Carlo and Montevideo....
SequenciaSequencia is a monotypic genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The sole species is Sequencia serrata. The genus name is from DNA sequence....
SteyerbromeliaSteyerbromelia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae.-Species:* Steyerbromelia deflexa L.B. Smith & Robinson...
L.B.Sm.
TillandsiaTillandsia is a genus of around 540 species in the Bromeliad family , found in the forests, mountains, and deserts, of Central and South America, and Mexico and the southern United States in North America....
L.
UrsulaeaUrsulaea is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. Represented by two known species, these plants are endemic to Mexico.-Species:...
VriesiaVriesea is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamilyTillandsioideae. The genus name is for Willem Hendrik de Vriese, Dutch botanist, physician ....
Lindl.
WerauhiaWerauhia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus name is for Werner Rauh, German botanist...
J.R.Grant
WittrockiaWittrockia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is for Veit Bracher Wittrock, Swedish botanist . These plants are native to Central and South America....
Lindm. |
Cultivation and uses
Humans have been using bromeliads for thousands of years. The Incas,
AztecThe Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...
s,
MayaThe Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
and others used them for food, protection, fiber and ceremony, just as they are still used today. European interest began when
SpanishThe Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
conquistadorConquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
s returned with
pineapplePineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
, which became so popular as an exotic food that the image of the pineapple was adapted into European art and sculpture. In 1776, the species
Guzmania lingulataGuzmania lingulata or Scarlet Star is a species of flowering plant in the bromeliad family, subfamily Tillandsioideae. They are known to originate from Central and South America. Foliage grows in a star-shaped basal rosette which culminates in an orange and red bracted inflorescence. They are...
was introduced to Europe, causing a sensation among gardeners unfamiliar to such a plant. In 1828,
Aechmea fasciataAechmea fasciata is a bromeliad native to Brazil. This plant is probably the best known species in this genus, and it is often used like a house plant....
was brought to Europe, followed by
Vriesea splendensVriesea splendens or Flaming Sword is a species of flowering plant in the bromeliad family, subfamily Tillandsioideae. Native to Eastern Venezuela and French Guiana these plants were introduced to Europe in 1840 following New World exploration...
in 1840. These transplants were successful enough that they are still among the most widely grown bromeliad varieties.
In the 19th century, breeders in Belgium, France and the Netherlands started hybridizing plants for wholesale trade. Many exotic varieties were produced up until World War I, which halted breeding programs and led to the loss of some species. The plants experienced a resurgence of popularity after World War II. Since then,
DutchThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
,
BelgianBelgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and North American nurseries have largely expanded bromeliad production.
Only one bromeliad, the
pineapplePineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
(
Ananas comosus), is a commercially important food crop.
BromelainBromelain is a pineapple extract thought to be effective for reducing swelling , especially of the nose and sinuses, after surgery or injury. It may also be used for a variety of other effects that remain scientifically unconfirmed and not authorized by regulatory authorities like the Food and Drug...
, a common ingredient in meat tenderizer, is extracted from pineapple stems. Many other bromeliads are popular
ornamental plantOrnamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
s, grown as both garden and
houseplantA houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices. Houseplants are commonly grown for decorative purposes, positive psychological effects, or health reasons such as indoor air purification...
s.
Collectors
Édouard AndréÉdouard François André was a French horticulturalist, landscape designer, as well as a leading landscape architect of the late 19th century, famous for designing city parks and public spaces of Monte Carlo and Montevideo....
was a French collector/explorer whose many discoveries of bromeliads in the Cordilleras of South America would be influential on horticulturists to follow. He was felt to have served as a source of inspiration to 20th century collectors, in particular
Mulford B. FosterMulford Bateman Foster was a man known by many as the "Father of the Bromeliad" as he was instrumental in the discovery and introduction of many new species of Bromeliad to the United States. He also devoted his life to hybridizing and contributed widely to the knowledge of the plant species...
and Lyman Smith of the United States and
Werner RauhWerner Rauh was an internationally renowned German botanist and author.-Biography:Born in the town of Niemegk in Brandenburg, Rauh studied at the University of Halle under the famous morphologist Wilhelm Troll and received his doctorate in 1937 before coming to the University of Heidelberg two...
of Germany.
External links
- The Brom-L Bromeliad Gallery The Photo Gallery of the (Virtual) World Wide Web Bromeliad Society
- The New Bromeliad Taxon List A constantly updated list of current Bromeliad names and synonyms.
- Palm trees, small palms, Cycads, Bromeliads and tropical plants Photos of Bromeliads and associated flora, with information on habitat and cultivation.
- LUTHER, H. E. (2002) An Alphabetical List of Bromeliad Binomials The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
, USA. Published by The Bromeliad Society International.
- Bromeliaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval. Published by Delta-intkey (2002-06-18)
- The Bromeliad Society International
- Bromeliad care information
- Puya raimondii photos
- The World Botanical Gardens
- Bromeliads of Chile in Chileflora
- LUTHER, H. E. (2008) An Alphabetical List of Bromeliad Binomials, Eleventh Edition The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
, USA. Published by The Bromeliad Society International.