Bromelioideae is a subfamily of the bromeliads (

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, ...

). This subfamily is the most diverse in the family, represented by the greatest number of

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

with about 40. Most of the plants in this group are

epiphyte An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another 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 epiphyt ...

s, though some have evolved in, or will adapt to, terrestrial conditions. This subfamily features the most plant types which are commonly cultivated by people, including the

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a Tropical vegetation, 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 culti ...

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Description

The foliage in most bromelioides grows to form a rosette where water is caught and stored. Their leaves are usually spined and they produce berry-like fruits in their blooms. These plants contain an

inferior ovary In 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(s) and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the ba ...

Genera

, the Encyclopaedia of Bromeliads listed 39 genera, plus one hybrid genus (×''Hohenmea'' B.R.Silva & L.F.Sousa) and one genus with no species listed, that

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

treated as an artificial hybrid genus (×''Cryptbergia'' R.G.Wilson & C.L.Wilson). A further genus, '' Hylaeaicum'', was separated from '' Neoregelia'' in 2021.

References

BSI - Bromeliad Info - Taxonomy

Bromeliads
* LUTHER, H. E. (2008
An Alphabetical List of Bromeliad Binomials, Eleventh EditionThe Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Sarasota, Florida Sarasota () is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida, the southern end of the Tampa Bay area, and north of Fort Myers, Florida, Fort Myers and Punta Gorda, Florida, Punta Gord ...

, USA. Published b
The Bromeliad Society International
Commelinid subfamilies {{bromeliad-stub