What are bromeliads: Difference between revisions
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=== Fruits and Seeds === | === Fruits and Seeds === | ||
Bromeliads form dry capsules or berries. The fruits often represent an essential criterion for classification. An exceptional position is thereby reserved to the pineapple. Her "fruit" consists actually of an edible composite of fruits (''Synkarpium''), wherein the individual fruit can hardly be distinguished. The berries stay closed even at the state of maturity. They are eaten by animals which excrete the seeds undigested and thus spread them widely. In contrast the capsules form winged seeds or parachute-like appendixes which are distributed by the wind. | Bromeliads form dry capsules or berries. The fruits often represent an essential criterion for classification. An exceptional position is thereby reserved to the pineapple. Her "fruit" consists actually of an edible composite of fruits (''Synkarpium''), wherein the individual fruit can hardly be distinguished. The berries stay closed even at the state of maturity. They are eaten by animals which excrete the seeds undigested and thus spread them widely. In contrast the capsules form winged seeds or parachute-like appendixes which are distributed by the wind. | ||
== Taxonomy == | |||
The family of the Bromeliaceae subsumes as now about 60 taxa and approximately 3000 spe-cies. Until some years ago they were separated in three subfamilies. | |||
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!valign="top"|'''Tillandsioideae''': | |||
|With dry capsules and seeds with parachute-like appendixes, leaf edges generally smooth and not spiny.<br>Most known taxa: ''Tillandsia'', ''Guzmania'', ''Vriesea'' and ''Catopsis'' | |||
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!valign="top"|'''Bromelioideae''': | |||
|Sole subfamily with berries and seeds without appendixes, leaf edges usually spiny.<br>Most known taxa: ''Aechmea'', ''Ananas'' and ''Neoregelia'' | |||
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!valign="top"|'''Pitcairnioideae''': | |||
|Carrying dry capsules and usually winged seeds, leaf edges mostly spiny.<br>Most known taxa: ''Puya'', ''Pitcairnia'' | |||
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Based on the latest researches (2007-2011) further subfamilies will be added, splitting the subfamily Pitcairnioideae and increasing the number of subfamilies to eight.<ref name="Givnish2007" /><ref name="Givnish2011" /> | |||
== Utilization == | |||