''Acanthostachys'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of the

botanical Botany, also called plant science (or plant sciences), plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany ...

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Bromeliaceae The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a family of monocot flowering plants of about 80 genera and 3700 known species, native mainly to the tropical Americas, with several species found in the American subtropics and one in tropical west Africa, ...

, subfamily

Bromelioideae Bromelioideae is a subfamily of the bromeliads ( Bromeliaceae). This subfamily is the most diverse, represented by the greatest number of genera with about 40. Most of the plants in this group are epiphytes, though some have evolved in, or will ...

. The genus name is from the Greek “acanthos” (thorny, spiny) and “stachys” (a flower spike).

Species

There are three known species, all

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

:Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref> * ''

Acanthostachys pitcairnioides ''Acanthostachys pitcairnioides'' is a species in the genus ''Acanthostachys''. It is found in north-eastern Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South ...

'' ( Mez) Rauh & Barthlott (distribution : Northeast Brazil) *''

Acanthostachys calcicola ''Acanthostachys calcicola'' is a species of plant discovered in a limestone rock in the Brazilian state of Tocantins Tocantins () is one of the 26 states of Brazil. It is the newest state, formed in 1988 and encompassing what had formerly ...

'' Marcusso & Lombardi (distribution : central Brazil) * ''

Acanthostachys strobilacea ''Acanthostachys strobilacea'' is a plant species in the genus ''Acanthostachys''. This species is native to Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a count ...

'' (Schultes f.) Klotzsch (distribution : Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina)

References

External links

BSI Genera Gallery
photos Bromelioideae Bromeliaceae genera Flora of South America {{Bromelioideae-stub