Piticairnioidaeae is the terrestrial subfamily of the bromeliads (Bromeliaceae). Unlike the many epiphytes and lithophytes which comprise the rest of the family, with a few exceptions, all of the members of this subfamily are either terrestrial or saxicolous. Common to arid and high-altitude regions, this subfamily is considered to have the most ancient lineage, more closely resembling its grassy relatives than the exotic novelties represented in the other two subfamilies. The commonly cultivated genera belonging to this subfamily are Dyckia, Hechtia, Pitcairnia and Puya. Red clover inflorescence (spike) An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers on a branch of a plant. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta—liverworts Anthocerotophyta—hornworts Bryophyta—mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) †Rhyniophyta—rhyniophytes †Zosterophyllophyta—zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta—clubmosses †Trimerophytophyta—trimerophytes Pteridophyta—ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) †Pteridospermatophyta—seed ferns Pinophyta—conifers Cycadophyta—cycads Ginkgophyta—ginkgo Gnetophyta—gnetae Magnoliophyta—flowering plants... It has been suggested that Angiospermae, and Anthophyta be merged into this article or section. ... Hemerocallis flower, with three flower parts in each whorl Wheat, an economically important monocot The monocotyledons or Monocots are a group of flowering plants, (angiosperms) dominating great parts of the earth. ... families see text Poales is a botanical name at the rank of order. ... Subfamiles Bromelioideae Pitcairnioideae Tillandsioideae Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) is a large family of flowering plants native to the tropical and warm temperate New World. ... Subfamiles Bromelioideae Pitcairnioideae Tillandsioideae Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) is a large family of flowering plants native to the tropical and warm temperate New World. ... An example of an epiphyte assemblage of orchids and bromeliads in a garden setting The term epiphyte refers to any plant that grows upon or attached to another living plant. ... Lithophytes are a type of plant that grows in or on rocks. ... Terrestrial literally means of the earth and is used in a variety of contexts: In biology and in the general sense, terrestrial means indicates ground-dwelling (compare aquatic). ... An arid environment has an extremely low yearly precipitation, receiving much less rain or snowfall annually than would satisfy the climatological demand for evaporation and transpiration. ... In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a grouping in the classification of living organisms having one or more related and morphologically similar species. ... Species See text. ... Species Hechtia gayii Hechtia marnier-lapostollei Hechtia podantha Hechtia rosea Hechtia stenopetala Hechtia texensis Hechtia tillandsioides Hechtia is a plant genus, containing around fifty species, and named after Julius Gottfried Conrad Hecht. ... Species See text. ... Puya can refer to: The genus Puya in the family Bromeliaceae A latin-influenced nu metal band from Puerto Rico, see Puya (band) Word used in Puerto Rico to refer to a very strong dark cup of coffee without milk or cream. ...

Description

Most Pitcairnioidaeae leaves are fleshy with heavy spines on the edges, and are said to resemble agave. Their blooms contain dry capsules with small, wingless seeds. Like most plants, and unlike most other bromeliads, this group has a developed root system to gather water and nutrients. Similarly, not all Pitcairnioid leaves grow in an effective cup to catch water as is seen in the other families. Leaf trichomes are present in Pitcairnioidaeae but are not effective in gathering nutrients; the trichomes, however, can be sufficiently thick so as to provide a frost barrier essential to its survival (i.e. Puya laxa). Species see text. ... Trichomes, from the Greek meaning growth of hair, are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants and protists. ... Puya can refer to: The genus Puya in the family Bromeliaceae A latin-influenced nu metal band from Puerto Rico, see Puya (band) Word used in Puerto Rico to refer to a very strong dark cup of coffee without milk or cream. ...

Dyckia rariflora

Puya alpestris

Pitcairnia wendlandii in bloom

References

• http://www.ecocam.com/species/Bromeliaceae.html
• http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/monocots/bromeliflorae.html
• http://fcbs.org/