Data

• Bromeliaceae (Puya genus)
• Text by: D. Alarcón.
• Photo: D. Alarcón

Description

The terrestrial bromeliad genus Puya (Bromeliaceae) comprises more than 200 shrub species and occurs from sea level to about 5000 m a.s.l. mainly confined to the Andes. They have successfully colonized different kind of habitats in semixeric to xeric Andean habitats, but also more humid habitat at lower elevations. They are an example of a rapid radiation during the last 3.5 million of years, with a wide spectrum of variation in morphology and physiology. Their more than 4 m tall inflorescences have flowers with impressive colours from yellow to metallic blue and purple, and they are a source of nectar for an important number of insects and hummingbirds through their whole distribution across the Andes. Some of their species are threatened by conversion for crops and cattle uses, human produced fires and the collection of their edible young leaves.
Puya raimondii occurs in the high Andes of Peru and Bolivia. It is famous for having the largest inflorescence in the world. Plants grow to 15m tall. They are threatened because as these image show they are burnt by local people. Text: Martin Gardner. Photo credit C. Magdalena