''Wittrockia'' 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 ...
of plants in the
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, 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 ...
.
The genus name is for
Veit Brecher Wittrock
Veit Brecher Wittrock (5 May 1839 at district of Dalsland – 1 September 1914 in Stockholm) was a Swedish botanist known for his work in the field of phycology and for his research of the genus ''Viola''. Biography
From 1857 to 1865 he st ...
, a Swedish botanist (1839-1914).
[Bromeliad Society International ]
read on line
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These plants are native to Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
and South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
. Many species are 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 else ...
to the Atlantic Forest biome (''Mata Atlantica Brasileira''), located in southeastern 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 ...
.[DPI.inpe.br: "BROMELIACEAE da MATA ATLÂNTICA BRASILEIRA: Lista de ESPÉCIES, DISTRIBUIÇÃO e CONSERVAÇÃO"]
''Rodriguésia 59'', February 2008; ppg 209−258; article−, abstract− species lists−. accessed 30 May 2016.
Description
''Wittrockia'' is large among bromeliad genera, producing long, glossy leaves armed with sharp spines. Forming rosettes over 1 meter in diameter, the foliage may contain various colors of spots and banding, depending on species.
Their inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphology (biology), Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of sperma ...
blooms deep in the vase where the plant catches water.
Species
* '' Wittrockia cyathiformis'' (Vellozo) Leme
* '' Wittrockia flavipetala'' (Wand.) Leme & H.Luther
* '' Wittrockia gigantea'' (Baker) Leme
* '' Wittrockia paulistana'' Leme
* '' Wittrockia spiralipetala'' Leme
* '' Wittrockia superba'' Lindman
* '' Wittrockia tenuisepala'' (Leme) Leme
Cultivation
''Wittrockia'' species are adaptable to varying climates and light exposure. Their attractive foliage has made them popular in cultivation as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...
.
References
External links
Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies - Wittrockia PhotosBSI Genera Gallery
Wittrockia Photos
{{Taxonbar, from=Q8028637
Flora of Brazil
Flora of Central America
Flora of South America
Bromeliaceae genera