''Neoregelia kerryi'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Neoregelia ''Neoregelia'' is a genus of epiphytic flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae, native to South American rainforests. The genus name is for Eduard August von Regel, Director of St. Petersburg Botanic Gardens in Russ ...

''. This species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. Its name has also been incorrectly spelt ''Neoregelia kerryae''.

Taxonomy

''Neoregelia kerryi'' was first described by

Elton Leme Elton Martinez Carvalho Leme (born 1960) is a Brazilian who is employed as a judge. He is also a self-taught botanist with a special interest in bromeliads. , the International Plant Names Index The International Plant Names Index (IPNI) desc ...

in 1998. The specific epithet ''kerryi'' was given as a tribute to Kerry Herndon, former president of a bromeliad nursery in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. As Kerry Herndon is a man, the epithet ''kerryi'' is correct; ''kerryae'' would be for a woman.

References

* kerryi Flora of Brazil {{neoregelia-stub