Acanthostachys

Habit and inflorescence of Acanthostachys strobilacea.

Acanthostachys is a small genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Bromelioideae, which belongs to the family of bromeliads ( Bromeliaceae ). The botanical name of the genus is derived from the Greek words for Acanthus prickly plant and Stachys for ear off, so "thorn -spiked " and refers to the unusual habit for bromeliads.

Description

Acanthostachys species grow upright to hanging, as a relatively small, evergreen, perennial herbaceous plants and are somewhat xerophytic. They form small clumps of short, sparrig projecting spurs. They live epiphytic or terrestrial.

A few rough, parallel venation, up to 1 m long, narrow leaves sitting on a compressed main axis loosely together in a basal rosette. The leaves are armed with a serrated margin. The leaves have at least on the lower leaf surface Saugschuppen.

In Acanthostachys strobilacea sit on the upright to arching inflorescence stem prickly leaves that are similar to the primitive leaves, only slightly smaller. In Acanthostachys pitcairnioides the inflorescence stem is very short. Terminally on the stem sits a pin-like, capitate, allseitswendiger ähriger inflorescence that looks very similar to a pineapple without terminal tuft of leaves. The flowers are arranged individually between the bracts.

The small flowers are radial symmetry and threefold. The three sepals are free. The three yellow ( Acanthostachys strobilacea ) or blue ( Acanthostachys pitcairnioides ) petals are free to their base. There are two circles, each with three stamens present. Three carpels are fused into one inferior ovary.

The flowers formula is.

Are formed berries that have grown to a multiple fruit ( = Syncarpium ); it is smaller than 10 cm.

Use

Almost only Acanthostachys strobilacea located occasionally in culture. It is suitable as a house plant (also known as a hanging plant ), as it is very easy to maintain and is relatively small. Since they are very robust, are not eaten by most animals and are completely non-toxic, it can be recommended for terrariums. Propagation is by Kindel.

The small fruits are edible and taste sweet.

Systematics and distribution

Your areas ranging from Brazil to Paraguay and Argentina.

There are only two types of Acanthostachys. For some authors, the genus is still specified as monotypic.

• Acanthostachys pitcairnioides ( Mez ) Rauh & Barthlott: With smaller distribution area in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Espírito Santo. It was not described until 1982.
• Acanthostachys strobilacea ( Schultes f ) Klotzsch ( strobilacea for peg- shaped)

Swell

• Harry E. Luther: An Alphabetical List of Bromeliad Binomials, 2008 The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, Florida, USA. Published by The Bromeliad Society International. (PDF; 314 kB)