Bromeliaceae
From Freepedia
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| Image:PuyaRaimondiiHua.jpg Puya raimondii with flower stem | ||||||||||
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Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) is a large family of flowering plants native to the tropical and warm temperate New World. The family includes both epiphytes, such as Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides, and ground plants, such as the Pineapple Ananas comosus. Many bromeliads are able to store water in a "tank" formed by their tightly-overlapping leaf bases. However, the family is diverse enough to include the tank bromeliads, grey-leaved epiphytic Tillandsia species which gather water only from leaf structures called trichomes, and even a large number of desert-dwelling succulents.
The largest bromeliad is Puya raimondii, which reaches 3-4 m tall in vegetative growth with a flower spike 9-10 m tall, and the smallest is probably Spanish moss.
Genera
- Abromeitiella Mez
- Acanthostachys Klotzsch
- Aechmea Ruiz & Pav.
- Ananas Mill
- Andrea Mez
- Androlepis Brongn. ex Houllet
- Araeococcus Brongn
- Ayensua L.B.Sm.
- Billbergia Thunb.
- Brewcaria L.B.Sm., Steyerm. & H.Rob
- Brocchinia Schult.f.
- Bromelia L.
- Canistrum E.Morren
- Catopsis Griseb.
- Connellia N.E.Br.
- Cottendorfia Schult.f.
- Cryptanthus Otto & A.Dietr.
- Deuterocohnia Mez
- Disteganthus lem.
- Dyckia Schult.f.
- Encholirium Mart. ex Schult.f.
- Fascicularia Mez
- Fernseea Baker
- Fosterella L.B.Sm.
- Glomeropitcairnia Mez
- Greigia Regel
- Guzmania Ruiz & Pav.
- Hechtia Klotzsch
- Hohenbergia Schult.f.
- Hohenbergiopsis L.B.Sm. & Read
- Lindmania Mez
- Lymania Read
- Mezobromelia L.B.Sm
- Navia Schult.f.
- Neoglaziovia Mez
- Neoregelia L.B.Sm.
- Nidularium Lem.
- Ochagavia Phil.
- Orthophytum Beer
- Pitcairnia L'Her.
- Portea K. Koch
- Pseudaechmea L.B.Sm. & Read
- Pseudananas Hassl. ex Harms
- Puya Molina
- Quesnelia Gaudich.
- Ronnbergia E.Morren & Andre
- Steyerbromelia L.B.Sm
- Streptocalyx Beer
- Tillandsia L.
- Vriesia Lindl.
- Wittrockia Lindm.
Cultivation and uses
Only one bromeliad, the pineapple Ananas comosus, is a commercially important food crop. Many other bromeliads are popular ornamental plants, grown as both garden and house plants.
External links
- Bromeliaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval. http://delta-intkey.com (2002-06-18)
- Bromeliad Society International
- Puya raimondii photos
