''Portea'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

in the plant

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Bromeliaceae The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a family of monocot flowering plants of about 80 genera and 3700 known species, native mainly to the tropical Americas, with several species found in the American subtropics and one in tropical west Africa, ...

, subfamily

Bromelioideae Bromelioideae is a subfamily of the bromeliads (Bromeliaceae). This subfamily is the most diverse, represented by the greatest number of genera with about 40. Most of the plants in this group are epiphytes, though some have evolved in, or will ada ...

. It is native to the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

coast of

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 ...

. It is named for Dr. Marius Porte, a nineteenth-century French naturalist who died in 1866 in Manilla while on a collection expedition for the

National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. It has free admission and is open 364 days a year. In 2021, with 7. ...

Characteristics

''Portea'' is a small group of plants. According to the Bromeliad Binomial, it currently includes just nine species. The plants are natives of the eastern coast of Brazil where they tend to be medium to large plants. They thrive in strong light. The foliage of this genus often is quite attractive, although heavily protected by sharp spines. The branches of the inflorescence are somewhat lengthy. This characteristic makes the bloom even more stunning. The plant produces a tall bloom of lavender flowers followed by dark purple berries. Although the leaves are frost sensitive, the plants usually survive cold temperatures and produce blooms in the late spring.http://mybscf.org/files/folders/178/download.aspx

Species

Cultivars

*Portea 'Helga Tarver' *Portea 'June'

References

External links

* *
Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies - Portea PhotosBSI Genera Gallery
photos {{Taxonbar, from=Q147784 Bromeliaceae genera Taxa named by Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart Taxa named by Karl Koch