About the Botanical Family of Bromeliaceae

The botanical family of Bromeliaceae, or the bromeliads, is a family of monocot plants found mainly in the tropical Americas. While the pineapple is the only member of this group that is adapted as a source of human food, bromeliads serve a variety of important roles in the environment.

Evolution of Bromeliaceae

While bromeliads are a relatively recent plant group to emerge (within the past 1,000 years), the first species originated in South America in the mesas of the Guyana Shield. Over the past few hundred years, bromeliads have developed a variety of adaptations that allow the family to survive in environments that are more competitive in water consumption, such as a more tightly bound structure of leaves in order to better retain water.

Basic properties

The family of Bromeliaceae is a very diverse one with each type taking one of a variety of shapes. The foliage of the plant is formed into a rosette, and some recognize it as the most brilliant and diverse of any botanical family. Bromeliads often hold water for other organisms in the environment and can even provide a habitat for other bromeliads.

Classification

Bromeliads are currently in the order of Poales and are divided into three subfamilies: Bromelioideae, Pitcairnioideae and Tillandsioideae. Bromelioideae is the most diverse of the three and contains the most plants commonly cultivated by people, including the pineapple. Pitcairnioideae contains over 1,000 species organized into 16 genera. Unlike the other two subfamilies, Pitcairnioideae are mostly terrestrial and saxicolous, meaning they grow exclusively on land or rocks. Tillandsioideae has the fewest genera of the three subfamilies, with nine, but has the most species (1,277).