Bromeliads

23 February 2009

This was a botany lesson.

“Bromeliads are a Neotropical family which means they grow virtually exclusively in the New World tropics (and subtropics). Most come from South America with the greatest number of species found in Brazil. They range from Chile and Argentina in South America through Central America and the Caribbean.

“Epiphytic species are found growing on other plants, usually trees, shrubs or cactus but sometimes they can be found on telephone poles or even on the telephone lines themselves. This capability to take their nutrition and moisture from the atmosphere has earned these bromeliads the name ‘Air Plants’.”

Source: http://www.bsi.org/brom_info/what.html

Bromeliads are widespread in the forests of Costa Rica and especially in and around the cloud forest, typically not growing on the forest floor, but rather perched on tree branches or trunks.