Quesnelia
Upright inflorescence of Quesnelia quesneliana.
The Quesnelia are a genus of the subfamily Bromelioideae in the family Bromeliaceae ( Bromeliaceae ). It occurs only in eastern Brazil.
Description
The Quesnelia species are hopper or tank bromeliads. There are small to large species with 0.2 to 1 m funnel diameters and inflorescences, which are up to 1 m long. Specimens of the same species grow as epiphytes or terrestrial. The coarse leaves end in a spike tip. The leaf margins are always on the edge reinforced (as with all representatives of the Bromelioideae ). Saugschuppen are mainly seen on the underside of leaves, but are also located on the upper leaf surface in the lower part below the water surface. In the leaf hoppers often collect large amounts of water. In many craters there are small habitats with more species of algae and aquatic plants.
In upright or overhanging, usually sizable, only a short time durable, simple, aged men inflorescences ( inflorescences ) are arranged in the many flowers cylindrical tight to loose. As a special feature (hence the epithet ) forms Quesnelia lateralis additional, seemingly pendent inflorescences but there are hardly recognizable Kindel form the leaves and are immediately blühreif. Sitting at the inflorescences scaly, bright colored bracts ( bracts ); they are pink to bluish - red.
The usually sessile, with radial symmetry, the threefold flowers are blue or blue-violet, yellowish or whitish. In the blue- flowered species of birds are the pollinators. The flowers are laterally compressed. There are three sepals present. The three red, violet, blue to almost black petals are above the ovary free. The petals have at their base scales ( ligule ). There are two circle each provided with three stamens. The inner stamens are fused with the petals. The ovary is inferior.
Flowers formula:
Are formed juice poor berries.
Dissemination and use
The home of the genus Quesnelia is limited to the eastern Brazil.
Since the inflorescences are not as long lasting as for example in Aechmea find these types rarely found in private collections. But in almost all botanical gardens you will find at least one type of these relatively undemanding but decorative plants.
System
Charles Gaudichaud -Beaupré placed the genus Quesnelia 1842 in Voy. Bonito, bot Atlas, Plate 54. The genus name honors Quesnelia either the French consul in French Guiana, M. Quesnel, who brought the first plants to France, or François Alexandre Quesne ( 1742-1820 ).
There are 18 Quesnelia species ( Luther, 2008):
- Quesnelia alvimii Leme
- Quesnelia arvensis ( Vellozo ) Mez
- Quesnelia augusto - coburgii Wawra
- Quesnelia dubia Leme
- Quesnelia edmundoi L.B.Smith: Quesnelia edmundoi L.B.Smith var edmundoi
- Quesnelia edmundoi var intermedia E.Pereira & Leme
- Quesnelia edmundoi var rubrobracteata E.Pereira