Aechmea mulfordii, the living vase bromelia, is native to the states of
Pernambuco and
Bahia in eastern
Brazil.
[Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]
/ref> Most of the other plants in this genus are epiphytic
An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a 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 epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...
, which means that they live up in the branches of the trees and exist mainly on the moisture and nutrients they obtain from the air. However, ''Aechmea mulfordii'' is a large terrestrial plant, growing near the sea level on sand dunes
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
.[Martinelli, G., Magalhães Vieira, C., Gonzalez, M., Leitman, P., Piratininga, A. Ferreira da Costa, A. & Campostrini Forzza, R. (2008). Bromeliaceae da Mata Atlântica Brasileira: lista de espécies, distribuição e conservação. Rodriguésia; Revista do Instituto de Biologia Vegetal, Jardim Botânico e Estaçao Biologica do Itatiaya 59: 209-258.]
''Aechmea mulfordii'' has leathery green leaves ligulate or sword-shaped. The leaves may grow to 1 m (3 ft) in length, at times much less, and form a central vase, which, in cultivation, should be kept filled with water. On this species, the primary bract greatly exceeds the lowermost branch. The flower-spikes sent up from the heart or crown of the plant are red panicle with the three outer sepaloid segments longer than the three inner or petaloid ones. Frequently confused with '' A. rubens'' and '' A. emmerichiae'', ''A. mulfordii'' has less dense and elaborate inflorescence than ''A. rubens'' and the long, broad floral bracts conceal the ovary.
Etymology
The name of the genus ''Aechmea
''Aechmea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae (subfamily Bromelioideae). The name comes from the Greek ''aichme'', meaning "spear". Suggested pronunciations include and . ''Aechmea'' comprises eight subgenera and around ...
'' has been given by taxonomists because of the characteristically sharp points of the sepals and of the bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
s covering the flower buds. The word ''aechmea'' comes from the Greek word "aichme" which means "spear tip".
References
External links
Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Aechmea''SysTax: ''Aechmea''
*
Flora Brasiliensis: ''Aechmea''
mulfordii
Flora of Brazil
Plants described in 1962
{{Aechmea-stub