The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a

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 ...

monocot Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, ( Lilianae '' sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. They constitute on ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...

s of about 80 genera and 3700 known species, native mainly to the

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

Americas, with several species found in the American subtropics and one in tropical

west Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mau ...

, '' Pitcairnia feliciana''. It is among the

basal Basal or basilar is a term meaning ''base'', ''bottom'', or ''minimum''. Science * Basal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location for features associated with the base of an organism or structure * Basal (medicine), a minimal level that is nec ...

families within the

Poales The Poales are 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. Descriptio ...

and is the only family within the order that has

septal nectaries Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

and inferior ovaries.Judd, Walter S. Plant systematics a phylogenetic approach. 3rd ed. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc., 2007. These inferior ovaries characterize the Bromelioideae, a subfamily of the Bromeliaceae. The family includes both epiphytes, such as

Spanish moss Spanish moss (''Tillandsia usneoides'') is an epiphytic flowering plant that often grows upon large trees in tropical and subtropical climates. It is native to much of Mexico, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Central America, South America, the Southern Uni ...

('' Tillandsia usneoides''), and

terrestrial Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth. Terrestrial may also refer to: * Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on or near the ground, as opposed to ...

species, such as the

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centurie ...

('' Ananas comosus''). Many bromeliads are able to store water in a structure formed by their tightly overlapping

leaf A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

bases. However, the family is diverse enough to include the tank bromeliads, grey-leaved epiphyte ''

Tillandsia ''Tillandsia'' is a genus of around 650 species of evergreen, perennial flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae, native to the forests, mountains and deserts of northern Mexico and south-eastern United States, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean to ...

'' species that gather water only from leaf structures called

trichome Trichomes (); ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a pl ...

s, and many desert-dwelling succulents. The largest bromeliad is '' Puya raimondii'', which reaches tall in vegetative growth with a flower spike tall, and the smallest is

Description

Bromeliads are mostly

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition ...

perennials A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

, although a few have a more tree-like habit. Many are more or less succulent or have other adaptations to resist drought. They may be terrestrial or

epiphytic An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

, rarely climbing (e.g. '' Pitcairnia'' species). Some species of ''

'' (e.g.

, ''Tillandsia usneoides'') are aerophytes, which have very reduced root systems and absorb water directly from the air. Many terrestrial and epiphytic bromeliads have their leaves in the form of vase-shaped rosettes which accumulate water. Individual leaves are not divided and have parallel veins without cross connections. The epidermis of the leaf contains silica. Bromeliad flowers are aggregated into

inflorescence An 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. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed ...

s of various forms. The flowers have bracts, often brightly coloured, and distinct calyces of three

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined ...

s and corollas of three

petal Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usuall ...

s. The flowers have nectaries. They are pollinated by insects, birds (often

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics ar ...

s) or bats, or more rarely (in '' Navia'') they are wind-pollinated. Fruits are variable, typically taking the form of a capsule or a berry. Bromeliads are able to live in an array of environmental conditions due to their many adaptations.

Trichome Trichomes (); ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a pl ...

s, in the form of scales or hairs, allow bromeliads to capture water in cloud forests and help to reflect sunlight in desert environments. Bromeliads with leaf vases can capture water and nutrients in the absence of a well-developed root system. Many bromeliads also use

crassulacean acid metabolism Crassulacean acid metabolism, also known as CAM photosynthesis, is a carbon fixation pathway that evolved in some plants as an adaptation to arid conditions that allows a plant to photosynthesize during the day, but only exchange gases at night. ...

(CAM)

photosynthesis Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...

to create sugars. This adaptation allows bromeliads in hot or dry climates to open their

stoma In botany, a stoma (from Greek ''στόμα'', "mouth", plural "stomata"), also called a stomate (plural "stomates"), is a pore found in the epidermis of leaves, stems, and other organs, that controls the rate of gas exchange. The pore is bo ...

ta at night rather than during the day, which reduces water loss. Both CAM and epiphytism have evolved multiple times within the family, with some taxa reverting to C3 photosynthesis as they radiated into less arid climates.

Evolution

Bromeliads are among the more recent plant groups to have emerged. They are thought to have originated in the

tepui A tepui , or tepuy (), is a table-top mountain or mesa found in South America, especially in Venezuela and western Guyana. The word tepui means "house of the gods" in the native tongue of the Pemon, the indigenous people who inhabit the Gran ...

s of the

Guiana Shield The Guiana Shield (french: Plateau des Guyanes, Bouclier guyanais; nl, Hoogland van Guyana, Guianaschild; pt, Planalto das Guianas, Escudo das Guianas; es, Escudo guayanés) is one of the three cratons of the South American Plate. It is a ...

approximately 100 million years ago. The greatest number of extant

species are found in the

Andean The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S l ...

highlands of South America. However, the family did not diverge into its extant subfamilies until 19 million years ago. The long period between the origin and diversification of bromeliads, during which no extant species evolved, suggests that there was much

speciation Speciation is the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species. The biologist Orator F. Cook coined the term in 1906 for cladogenesis, the splitting of lineages, as opposed to anagenesis, phyletic evolution withi ...

and extinction during that time, which would explain the genetic distance of the Bromeliaceae from other families within the Poales. Based on

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

studies, the family is divided into eight subfamilies. The relationship among them is shown in the following

cladogram A cladogram (from Greek ''clados'' "branch" and ''gramma'' "character") is a diagram used in cladistics to show relations among organisms. A cladogram is not, however, an evolutionary tree because it does not show how ancestors are related to ...

. The most basal genus, '' Brocchinia'' (subfamily Brocchinioideae), is endemic to the Guiana Shield, and is placed as the

sister group In phylogenetics, a sister group or sister taxon, also called an adelphotaxon, comprises the closest relative(s) of another given unit in an evolutionary tree. Definition The expression is most easily illustrated by a cladogram: Taxon A and ...

to the remaining

genera 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 ...

in the family. The subfamilies Lindmanioideae and Navioideae are endemic to the Guiana Shield as well. The

West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mau ...

n species '' Pitcairnia feliciana'' is the only bromeliad not

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 ...

to the Americas, and is thought to have reached Africa via long-distance dispersal about 12 million years ago.

Radiation of Tillandsioideae and ''Hechtia''

The first groups to leave the Guiana Shield were the subfamily Tillandsioideae, which spread gradually into northern South America, and the genus ''

Hechtia ''Hechtia'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, and is the sole genus of the subfamily Hechtioideae, containing 75 species. Its species are native to Mexico, Central America, and Texas. The genus is named for Julius Gottfried Conrad ...

'' (Hechtioideae), which spread to Central America via long-distance dispersal. Both of these movements occurred approximately 15.4 million years ago. When it reached the Andes mountains, the speciation of Tillandsioideae occurred quite rapidly, largely due to the Andean uplift, which was also occurring rapidly from 14.2 to 8.7 million years ago. The uplift greatly altered the region's geological and climatic conditions, creating a new mountainous environment for the epiphytic tillandsioids to colonize. These new conditions directly drove the speciation of the Tillandsioideae, and also drove the speciation of their animal pollinators, such as

Evolution of the Bromelioideae

Around 5.5 million years ago, a clade of epiphytic bromelioids arose in

Serra do Mar The Serra do Mar (, Portuguese for ''Sea's Ridge'' or ''Sea Ridge'') is a 1,500 km long system of mountain ranges and escarpments in Southeastern Brazil. Geography The Serra do Mar runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean coast from the state ...

, a lush mountainous region on the coast of Southeastern Brazil. This is thought to have been caused not only by the uplift of Serra do Mar itself at that time, but also because of the continued uplift of the distant Andes mountains, which impacted the circulation of air and created a cooler, wetter climate in Serra do Mar. These epiphytes thrived in this humid environment, since their trichomes rely on water in the air rather than from the ground like terrestrial plants. Many epiphytic bromeliads with the tank habit also speciated here. Even before this, a few other bromelioids had already dispersed to the Brazilian shield while the climate was still arid, likely through a gradual process of short-distance dispersal. These make up the terrestrial members of the Bromelioideae, which have highly xeromorphic characters.

Classification

The family Bromeliaceae is currently placed in the order

Subfamilies

The family Bromeliaceae is organized into eight subfamilies: * Brocchinioideae * Lindmanioideae * Tillandsioideae *

Hechtioideae ''Hechtia'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, and is the sole genus of the subfamily Hechtioideae, containing 75 species. Its species are native to Mexico, Central America, and Texas. The genus is named for Julius Gottfried Conra ...

* Navioideae * Pitcairnioideae *

Puyoideae ''Puya'' is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae. It is the sole genus of the subfamily Puyoideae, and is composed of 226 species. These terrestrial plants are native to the Andes Mountains of South America and southern Central America. ...

* Bromelioideae Bromeliaceae were originally split into three subfamilies based on morphological seed characters: Bromelioideae (seeds in baccate fruits), Tillandsioideae (plumose seeds), and Pitcairnioideae (seeds with wing-like appendages). However, molecular evidence has revealed that while Bromelioideae and Tillandsioideae are monophyletic, Pitcairnioideae as traditionally defined is

paraphyletic In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...

and should be split into six subfamilies: Brocchinioideae, Lindmanioideae, Hechtioideae, Navioideae, Pitcairnioideae, and Puyoideae. Brocchinioideae is defined as the most basal branch of Bromeliaceae based on both morphological and molecular evidence, namely genes in chloroplast DNA. Lindmanioideae is the next most basal branch distinguished from the other subfamilies by convolute sepals and chloroplast DNA. Hechtioideae is also defined based on analyses of chloroplast DNA; similar morphological adaptations to arid environments also found in other groups (namely the genus '' Puya)'' are attributed to

convergent evolution Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last com ...

. Navioideae is split from Pitcairnioideae based on its cochlear sepals and chloroplast DNA. Puyoideae has been re-classified multiple times and its monophyly remains controversial according to analyses of chloroplast DNA.

Genera

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants ...

(PoWO) accepted 72 genera, as listed below. A few more genera were accepted by the Encyclopaedia of Bromeliads, including ''Josemania'' and ''Mezobromelia'', which PoWO sinks into ''Cipuropsis''. *''

Acanthostachys ''Acanthostachys'' is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “acanthos” (thorny, spiny) and “stachys” (a flower spike). Species There are three known species, all endemic t ...

Klotzsch Johann Friedrich Klotzsch (9 June 1805 – 5 November 1860) 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. Klotzsch was born in Wittenberg. Origin ...

*''

Aechmea ''Aechmea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae (subfamily Bromelioideae). The name comes from the Greek ''aichme'', meaning "spear". Suggested pronunciations include and . ''Aechmea'' comprises eight subgenera and aroun ...

'' Ruiz & Pav. *'' Alcantarea''

Harms Harms surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Chris Harms (born 1956), Australian cricketer * Claus Harms (1778–1855), German evangelical minister * Daniil Harms (1905–1942), English transcription: Daniil Kharms, Russian writer * ...

*'' Ananas'' Mill., including ''Pseudananas'' Hassl. ex

(includes the

) *'' Androlepis'' Brongn. ex Houllet *''

Araeococcus ''Araeococcus'' is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. It is native to northern South America, Central America and Trinidad Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands of Trinidad a ...

'' Brongn. *''

Barfussia ''Barfussia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Bromeliaceae The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a family of monocot Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, (Lilianae ''sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass ...

'' Manzan. & W.Till *'' Billbergia'' Thunb. *''

Brewcaria ''Brewcaria'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae. The genus is named for Charles Brewer-Carías, Venezuelan explorer and naturalist. Some authorities treat ''Brewcaria'' as a synonym of '' Navia''. It contains 6 known species, all ...

L.B.Sm. Lyman Bradford Smith (September 11, 1904 – May 4, 1997) was an American botanist. Smith was born in Winchester, Massachusetts. He studied botany during the 1920s at Harvard University and received his PhD from Harvard in 1930. Between 1928 a ...

Steyerm. Julian Alfred Steyermark (January 27, 1909 – October 15, 1988) was a Venezuelan American botanist. His focus was on New World vegetation, and he specialized in the family Rubiaceae. Life and work Julian Alfred Steyermark was born in St. Louis, ...

& H.Rob, synonym of ''Navia'' in PoWO *'' Brocchinia'' Schult.f. *''

Bromelia ''Bromelia'' is a genus of about 70 plant species widespread across Latin America and the West Indies. It is the type genus of the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae, and its type species is '' B. karatas''. ''Bromelia'' species ar ...

'' L. *''

Canistropsis ''Canistropsis'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the genus '' Canistrum'' and the Greek “opsis” (resembling). All 11 species of this genus are endemic to the Atlantic Forest ...

'' (Mez) Leme *''

Canistrum ''Canistrum'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus names are from the Greek “kanistron” (a kind of basket carried on the head). This bromeliad genus is endemic to the Atlantic Forest biom ...

'' E.Morren *'' Catopsis'' Griseb. *'' Cipuropsis'' Ule *'' Connellia'' N.E.Br. *'' Cottendorfia'' Schult.f. *'' Cryptanthus''

Otto Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants ''Audo'', '' Odo'', '' Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity". The name is recorde ...

& A.Dietr. *''

Deinacanthon ''Deinacanthon'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae Bromelioideae is a subfamily of the bromeliads (Bromeliaceae). This subfamily is the most diverse, represented by the greatest number of genera ...

'' Mez *''

Deuterocohnia ''Deuterocohnia'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae, endemic to South America. The genus is named for Ferdinand Julius Cohn Ferdinand Julius Cohn (24 January 1828 – 25 June 1898) was a German biolo ...

'' Mez *''

Disteganthus ''Disteganthus'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek “dis” (two), “steg” (covering), and “anthos” (flower). They are considered a primitive genus among bromeliad ...

Lem. Charles Antoine Lemaire (1 November 1800, in Paris – 22 June 1871, in Paris), was a French botanist and botanical author, noted for his publications on Cactaceae. Education Born the son of Antoine Charles Lemaire and Marie Jeanne Davio, he h ...

*''

Dyckia ''Dyckia'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus is named after the Prussian botanist, botanical artist and horticulturist The Prince and Earl of Salm Reifferscheid-Dyck (1773–1861). Dyckias, w ...

'' Schult.f. *''

Edmundoa ''Edmundoa'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. It is native to southern and south-eastern Brasil. The genus is named for Edmundo Pereira, Brazilian botanist (1914–1986), from the Botanical Garden in Rio d ...

'' Leme *''

Eduandrea ''Eduandrea'' is a monotypic genus plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. Taxonomy It contains a single species, ''Eduandrea selloana''. The former genus ''Andrea'' has been ruled invalid and renamed ''Eduandrea'' in ho ...

'' Leme, W.Till, G.K.Br., J.R.Grant & Govaerts *'' Encholirium''

Mart. Carl Friedrich Philipp (Karl Friedrich Philipp) von Martius (17 April 1794 – 13 December 1868) was a German botanist and explorer. Life Martius was born at Erlangen, the son of Prof Ernst Wilhelm Martius, court apothecary. He graduated PhD f ...

ex Schult.f. *''

Fascicularia ''Fascicularia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the pineapple family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Latin ''fasciculus'' (bundle) and ''arius'' (pertaining to). Only one species is known, ''Fascicularia bico ...

'' Mez *''

Fernseea ''Fernseea'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae, with two known species, both endemic to Brazil. The genus was named in honor of Moravian-Austrian botanist and physician at Vienna, Dr. Heinrich Ritter Wawra ...

Baker A baker is a tradesperson who bakes and sometimes sells breads and other products made of flour by using an oven or other concentrated heat source. The place where a baker works is called a bakery. History Ancient history Since grains ...

*''

Forzzaea ''Forzzaea'' is a genus of eu-bromelioids in the family Bromeliaceae The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a family of monocot Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, (Lilianae ''sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-lik ...

'' Leme, S.Heller & Zizka *'' Fosterella''

*'' Glomeropitcairnia'' Mez *'' Goudaea'' W.Till & Barfuss *''

Gregbrownia ''Gregbrownia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Bromeliaceae. It is native to Ecuador and northern Peru. The genus name of ''Gregbrownia'' is in honour of Gregory K. Brown (b. 1951), an American botanist and specialist in ...

'' W.Till & Barfuss *'' Greigia'' Regel *'' Guzmania'' Ruiz & Pav. *''

*'' Hohenbergia'' Schult.f. *''

Hohenbergiopsis ''Hohenbergiopsis'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the genus ''Hohenbergia'' and the Greek ''opsis'' (resembling) because it resembles the genus '' Hohenbergia''. It contains on ...

& Read *''

Hoplocryptanthus ''Hoplocryptanthus'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Bromeliaceae. It was formerly treated as the subgenus ''Hoplocryptanthus'' of the genus ''Cryptanthus''. Its native range is Southeastern Brazil. Species: *''Hoplocrypt ...

'' (Mez) Leme, S.Heller & Zizka *''

Hylaeaicum ''Hylaeaicum'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Bromeliaceae, native to tropical northern South America. The taxon was first described by Ernst Heinrich Georg Ule in 1935 as a subgenus of "''Aregelia''" (an illegitimate genus name). ...

'' (Ule ex Mez) Leme, Forzza, Zizka & Aguirre-Santoro *''

Jagrantia ''Jagrantia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Bromeliaceae. It only contains one species, ''Jagrantia monstrum''. Its native range is south-eastern Nicaragua to northern Ecuador. It is found in the countries of C ...

'' Barfuss & W.Till *'' Josemania'' W.Till & Barfuss *''

Karawata ''Karawata'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Bromeliaceae, native to eastern Brazil. The genus was first described in 2019. Species , Plants of the World Online accepted the following species: *''Karawata depressa'' (L.B.Sm.) J.R ...

'' J.R.Maciel & G.M.Sousa *''

Lapanthus ''Lapanthus'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Bromeliaceae. Its native range is Minas Gerais Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product ...

'' Louzada & Versieux *''

Lemeltonia ''Lemeltonia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Bromeliaceae. Its native range is Central America to north-western Peru and Trinidad. It is found in the countries of Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guian ...

'' Barfuss & W.Till *''

Lindmania ''Lindmania'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae. It is one of two genera in the subfamily Lindmanioideae, and contains 39 species. All but one of the known species are native to Venezuela, a few occurring in neighboring Guyana and n ...

'' Mez *'' Lutheria'' Barfuss & W.Till *''

Lymania ''Lymania'' (named for Lyman Bradford Smith, American botanist) is a genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus was established in 1984 to "unite furrowed or winged species from ''Aechmea'' subgenera ''Lamprococcu ...

'' Read *''

Mezobromelia ''Mezobromelia'' is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus name is for Carl Christian Mez, German botanist (1866-1944). Some authorities treat ''Mezobromelia'' as a synonym of ''Cipuropsis. The species ...

*'' Navia'' Schult.f. *''

Neoglaziovia ''Neoglaziovia'' is a genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus is named in honor of Auguste François Marie Glaziou, French landscape designer and bromeliad collector (1833-1906). Species It has three known s ...

'' Mez *'' Neoregelia''

*''

Nidularium ''Nidularium'' is a genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. Named to describe the nestling characteristic of the inflorescence (Lat. nidulus = little nest), all the species are endemic to Brazil. Commonly confused wi ...

*''

Ochagavia ''Ochagavia'' is a plant genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus is named for Sylvestris Ochagavia, Chilean minister of education. Endemic to southern and central Chile (including the Juan Fernández Islands),S ...

'' Phil. *''

Orthophytum ''Orthophytum'' (Greek "ortho" = straight and "phytum" = plant) is a genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. Distribution All the species of the bromeliad genus are endemic to the Atlantic Forest biome (''Mata Atlantica ...

'' Beer *'' Pitcairnia'' L'Her., including subgenus ''Pepinia'' *'' Portea'' K. Koch *''

Pseudaechmea ''Pseudaechmea'' is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is from the Greek ''pseudos'' (false) and the genus ''Aechmea''. The genus was established by Lyman Smith and R.W. Read in 1982.Phytolog ...

& Read, synonym of ''Billbergia'' in PoWO *'' Pseudalcantarea'' ( Mez) Pinzón & Barfuss *''

Pseudaraeococcus ''Pseudaraeococcus'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Bromeliaceae, native to northeastern Brazil. It was first described as the subgenus ''Pseudaraeococcus'' of the genus ''Araeococcus'' by Carl Christian Mez in 1935, and raised to a ...

'' (Mez) R.A.Pontes & Versieux *'' Puya'' Molina *'' Quesnelia'' Gaudich. *''

Racinaea ''Racinaea'' is a genus of the flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae Tillandsioideae is a subfamily of plants in the bromeliad family Bromeliaceae. This subfamily contains the greatest number of species (abou ...

'' M.A.Spencer & L.B.Sm. *''

Rokautskyia ''Rokautskyia'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Bromeliaceae, native to eastern Brazil. The genus was first established in 2017, and is placed in subfamily Bromelioideae. Species , Plants of the World Online accepted the following s ...

'' Leme, S.Heller & Zizka *''

Ronnbergia ''Ronnbergia'' is a genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. Native to South and Central America, this genus was named for Auguste Ronnberg, Belgian Director of Agriculture and Horticulture in 1874. Species , Plants ...

'' E.Morren &

André André — sometimes transliterated as Andre — is the French and Portuguese form of the name Andrew, and is now also used in the English-speaking world. It used in France, Quebec, Canada and other French-speaking countries. It is a variation ...

*'' Sequencia'' Givnish *''

Sincoraea ''Sincoraea'' is a genus of flowering plant in the family Bromeliaceae, native to eastern Brazil (the states of Bahia and Minas Gerais). The genus was erected by Ernst Ule in 1908. Species , Plants of the World Online Plants of the World ...

'' Ule *'' Steyerbromelia''

*'' Stigmatodon'' Leme, G.K.Br. & Barfuss *''

'' L. *''

Ursulaea ''Ursulaea'' (named for Ursula Baensch, plant breeder and co-author of ''Blooming Bromeliads'') is a genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. Some authorities treat ''Ursulaea'' as a synonym of '' Aechmea''. There are tw ...

'' Read & H.U.Baensch, synonym of ''Aechmea'' in PoWO *''

Vriesea ''Vriesea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus name is for Willem Hendrik de Vriese, Dutch botanist, physician (1806–1862). Its species are widespread over Mexico, ...

'' Lindl. *''

Wallisia ''Wallisia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Bromeliaceae. It is also in the ''Tillandsioideae'' subfamily. Its native range is central and southern Tropical America (within Belize, northern Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, E ...

'' ( Regel) É.Morren *''

Waltillia ''Waltillia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Bromeliaceae. It was considered to be a monotypic genus until the 2021 description of '' W. itambana''. Its native range is Minas Gerais, Brazil. Although, ''Waltillia itambana ...

'' Leme, Barfuss & Halbritt. *'' Werauhia'' J.R.Grant *'' Wittmackia'' Mez *''

Wittrockia ''Wittrockia'' is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. The genus name is for Veit Brecher Wittrock, a Swedish botanist (1839-1914).Bromeliad Society International read on line/ref> These plants are native t ...

'' Lindm. *'' Zizkaea'' W.Till & Barfuss

Hybrid genera

Intergeneric hybrid genera accepted by Plants of the World Online include: *× ''Cryptbergia'' R.G.Wilson & C.L.Wilson = ''Cryptanthus'' × ''Billbergia'' *× ''Guzlandsia'' Gouda = ''Guzmania'' × ''Tillandsia'' *× ''Hohenmea'' B.R.Silva & L.F.Sousa = ''Hohenbergia'' × ''Aechmea'' *× ''Niduregelia'' Leme = ''Nidularium'' × ''Neoregelia''

Gallery

File:RedBromelaid.jpg, A Bromeliad File:Billbergia pyramidalis in Hyderabad Nursery W IMG 0428.jpg, '' Billbergia pyramidalis'' File:Billbergia pyramidalis in Hyderabad Nursery W IMG 0425.jpg, ''Billbergia pyramidalis'' File:條紋水塔花 20190712192104.jpg, ''

Billbergia vittata ''Billbergia vittata'' is a plant species in the genus ''Billbergia''. It is a tough hardy tubular shaped plant heavily festooned with silver trichomes in a distinctive banded pattern that boldly contrasts with the leaf pigments. The tube for ...

Brongniart'' File:Tillandsia usneoides04.jpg, '' Tillandsia usneoides'' hanging from branches File:Bromeliad6.jpg, A Bromeliad File:Bromeliad spike.jpg, The flower of a '' Billbergia'' sp. File:Puya berteroana.jpg, ''

Puya alpestris ''heli Puya alpestris'' is a species of bromeliad native to Chilean Andes. It is native to dry hills, rock outcrops in central and southern Chile at elevations of 0 to 2200 meters. It is one of the most southerly occurring species within the fam ...

'' File:Bromeliad-pink-flower-closeup.jpg, Flower close-up File:Bromeliad05.jpg, A bromeliad File:Tillandsia tower arp.jpg, ''

'' airplants mounted on the bark of a cork oak

Distribution and habitat

Plants in the Bromeliaceae are widely represented in their natural climates across the Americas. One species ('' Pitcairnia feliciana'') can be found in Africa. They can be found at altitudes from sea level to 4,200 meters, from

rainforests Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainforest ...

to deserts. 1,814 species are epiphytes, some are

lithophyte Lithophytes are plants that grow in or on rocks. They can be classified as either epilithic (or epipetric) or endolithic; epilithic lithophytes grow on the surfaces of rocks, while endolithic lithophytes grow in the crevices of rocks (and are als ...

s, and some are terrestrial. Accordingly, these plants can be found in the

highlands, from northern Chile to Colombia, in the Sechura Desert of coastal Peru, in the

cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud ...

s of Central and South America, in southern United States from southern

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

, and in far southern

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...

Ecology

Bromeliads often serve as phytotelmata, accumulating water between their leaves. 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.Pineapple Dreams
, The Wild Side, Olivia Judson, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', March 18, 2008 The aquatic habitat created as a result is host to a diverse array of

invertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...

s, especially aquatic insect larvae, including those of mosquitos. These bromeliad

s benefit their hosts by increasing

nitrogen Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at seve ...

uptake into the plant. A study of 209 plants from the Yasuní Scientific Reserve in

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

identified 11,219 animals, representing more than 350 distinct species, many of which are found only on bromeliads. Examples include some species of

ostracod Ostracods, or ostracodes, are a class of the Crustacea (class Ostracoda), sometimes known as seed shrimp. Some 70,000 species (only 13,000 of which are extant) have been identified, grouped into several orders. They are small crustaceans, typic ...

s, small

salamander Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All ten ...

s about in length, and

tree frog A tree frog (or treefrog) is any species of frog that spends a major portion of its lifespan in trees, known as an arboreal state. Several lineages of frogs among the Neobatrachia have given rise to treefrogs, although they are not closely rela ...

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispan ...

n bromeliads are home to '' Metopaulias depressus'', a reddish-brown crab across, which has evolved social behavior to protect its young from predation by ''

Diceratobasis macrogaster ''Diceratobasis macrogaster'' is a species of damselfly in the family Coenagrionidae endemic to Jamaica. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. Unlike most damselflies, the larva ...

'', a species of

damselfly Damselflies are flying insects of the suborder Zygoptera in the order Odonata. They are similar to dragonflies, which constitute the other odonatan suborder, Anisoptera, but are smaller and have slimmer bodies. Most species fold the wings alo ...

whose

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) 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. Th ...

e live in bromeliads. Some bromeliads even form homes for other species of bromeliads. Trees or branches that have a higher incidence of sunlight tend to have more bromeliads. In contrast, the sectors facing west receive less sunlight and therefore fewer bromeliads. In addition, thicker trees have more bromeliads, possibly because they are older and have greater structural complexity.

Cultivation and uses

Humans have been using bromeliads for thousands of years. The

Incas The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, ( Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The admi ...

Aztecs The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl l ...

Maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a popu ...

and others used them for food, protection, fiber and ceremony, just as they are still used today. European interest began when Spanish conquistadors returned with

, 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 lingulata'' was introduced to Europe, causing a sensation among gardeners unfamiliar with such a plant. In 1828, ''

Aechmea fasciata ''Aechmea fasciata'' is a species of flowering plant in the Bromeliaceae family. It is commonly called the silver vase or urn plant and is native to Brazil. This plant is probably the best known species in this genus, and it is often grown as a ...

'' was brought to Europe, followed by ''

Vriesea splendens ''Vriesea splendens'', or flaming sword, is a species of flowering plant in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. Native to Trinidad, eastern Venezuela and the GuianasSmith, L.B. & R. J. Downs. 1977. Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae ...

'' in 1840. These transplants were so successful, 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 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, Dutch, Belgian and North American nurseries have greatly expanded bromeliad production. Only one bromeliad, the

(''Ananas comosus''), is a commercially important food crop. Bromelain, a common ingredient in meat tenderizer, is extracted from pineapple stems. Many other bromeliads are popular

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

s, grown as both garden and

houseplant A houseplant, sometimes known as a pot plant, potted plant, or an indoor plant, is an ornamental plant that is grown indoors. As such, they are found in places like residences and offices, mainly for decorative purposes. Common houseplants are us ...

s. Bromeliads are important food plants for many peoples. For example, the

Pima Pima or PIMA may refer to: People * Pima people, the Akimel O'odham, Indigenous peoples in Arizona (U.S.) and Sonora (Mexico) Places * Pima, Arizona, a town in Graham County * Pima County, Arizona * Pima Canyon, in the Santa Catalina Mountains ...

of Mexico occasionally consume flowers of ''

Tillandsia erubescens ''Tillandsia erubescens'' Schlechtendal, Linnaea 18: 427-429. 1844. is a species of epiphytic plants of the genus ''Tillandsia''. This species is endemic to Mexico, found over much of the country from Chihuahua to Oaxaca. Three varieties are re ...

'' and '' T. recurvata'' due to their high sugar content; in Argentina and Bolivia, the shoot apices of '' T. rubella'' and '' T. maxima'' are consumed; in Venezuela, indigenous coastal tribes eat a sour-tasting but sweet-smelling berry, known as 'Maya', of ''

Bromelia chrysantha ''Bromelia chrysantha'' is a plant species in the genus ''Bromelia''. This species is native to Venezuela, Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North Ame ...

'' as a fruit or in

fermented beverage This is a list of fermented foods, which are foods produced or preserved by the action of microorganisms. In this context, fermentation typically refers to the fermentation of sugar to alcohol using yeast, but other fermentation processes invo ...

Collectors

Édouard André Édouard François André (17 July 1840 – 25 October 1911) 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 in Lithu ...

was a French collector/explorer whose many discoveries of bromeliads in the Cordilleras of South America would be influential on horticulturists to follow. He served as a source of inspiration to 20th-century collectors, in particular Mulford B. Foster and Lyman Smith of the United States and

Werner Rauh Werner Rauh (16 May 1913 in Niemegk – 7 April 2000 in Heidelberg) was an internationally renowned German biologist, botanist and author. Biography Born in the town of Niemegk near Bitterfeld, Rauh studied at Biology faculty at the University of ...

of Germany and Michelle Jenkins of Australia.André, Édouard François. "Bromeliaceae Andreanae. Description et histoire des Bromeliacees recoltees dans La Colombie, L'Ecuador et Le Venezuela". Paris: Librairie Agricole; G. Masson, 1889

References

External links

The New Bromeliad Taxon List
A constantly updated list of current Bromeliad names and synonyms. * Luther, H. E. (2008
An Alphabetical List of Bromeliad Binomials, Eleventh EditionThe Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Sarasota, Florida Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sou ...

. Published b
The Bromeliad Society International

Bromeliad care information

Bromeliad cultivar registry

The Brom-L Bromeliad Gallery
The Photo Gallery of the (Virtual) World Wide Web Bromeliad Society
Bromeliads of Chile
in Chileflora
Palm trees, small palms, Cycads, Bromeliads and tropical plants
Photos of Bromeliads and associated flora, with information on habitat and cultivation. {{Authority control Poales families

Description

Evolution

Radiation of Tillandsioideae and ''Hechtia''

Evolution of the Bromelioideae

Classification

Subfamilies

Genera

Hybrid genera

Gallery

Distribution and habitat

Ecology

Cultivation and uses

Collectors

See also

References

External links