Bromeliaceae (Pineapple family)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Poales

About 46 genera and 2110 species, almost all of which are native to subtropical and tropical America. There is, however, one species indigenous to tropical West Africa. There are no species indigenous to southern Africa. The most familiar cultivated bromeliad is the Pineapple Ananas comosus. In southern Africa, 29 genera and 299 species have been recorded in cultivation, mainly as ornamental plants, probably the most familiar being the air plants which are epiphytic species in the genus Tillandsia.

Genera cultivated in southern Africa

Abromeitiella brevifolia Indigenous to Bolivia and Argentina.
Acanthostachys strobilacea Indigenous to Brazil.
Aechmea Forty-two species cultivated.
Ananas comosus (Pineapple) Indigenous to Brazil and is cultivated as a fruit in southern Africa (e.g. in the Eastern Cape).
Araeococcus Two species cultivated.
Billbergia Nine species cultivated.
Brocchinia reducta Indigenous to Venezuela and Guyana.
Bromelia Two species cultivated.
Canistrum Two species cultivated.
Catopsis Five species cultivated.
Cryptanthus Three species cultivated
Deuterocohnia longipetala Indigenous from Peru to Argentina.
Dyckia Ten species cultivated.
Fascicularia bicolor (Chupalla) Indigenous to Chile.
Fosterella penduliflora (Parmera) Indigenous from Peru to Argentina.
Guzmania Forteen species cultivated.
Hechtia Three species cultivated.
Hohenbergia Two species cultivated.
Mezobromelia Two species cultivated.
Nidularium Ten species cultivated.
Neoregelia Twenty-four species cultivated.
Orthophytum saxicola Indigenous to Brazil.
Pitcairnia Ten species cultivated.
Portea petropolitana Indigenous to Brazil.
Puya Six species cultivated.
Quesnelia Eight species cultivated.
Tillandsia A total of 111 species cultivated.
Vriesea A total of 23 species cultivated.
Wittrockia Two species cultivated.

Publications

Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.