Portea

Portea is a genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. It is native to the Atlantic coast of Brazil.

Portea
Flowering Portea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Bromeliaceae
Subfamily: Bromelioideae
Genus: Portea
Brongn. ex K. Koch
Type species
Portea kermesina

It is named for Dr. Marius Porte,[1] a nineteenth-century French naturalist who died in 1866 in Manilla while on a collection expedition for the National Museum of Natural History.[2]

Characteristics

Portea is a small group of plants. According to the Bromeliad Binomial, it currently includes just nine species. The plants are natives of the eastern coast of Brazil where they tend to be medium to large plants. They thrive in strong light. The foliage of this genus often is quite attractive, although heavily protected by sharp spines. The branches of the inflorescence are somewhat lengthy. This characteristic makes the bloom even more stunning.

The plant produces a tall bloom of lavender flowers followed by dark purple berries. Although the leaves are frost sensitive, the plants usually survive cold temperatures and produce blooms in the late spring.[3]

Species
ImageScientific nameDistribution
Portea alatisepala Philcoxsoutheastern Brazil.
Portea filifera L.B. Smith Bahia state, southeastern Brazil.
Portea fosteriana L.B. Smith Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil.
Portea grandiflora Philcox Bahia state, southeastern Brazil.
Portea kermesina K. Koch Bahia state, southeastern Brazil.
Portea nana Leme & H. Luther Bahia state, southeastern Brazil.
Portea orthopoda (Baker) Coffani-Nunes & WanderleyBrazil
Portea petropolitana (Wawra) Mez Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Portea silveirae MezBahia, Espírito Santo, and Minas Gerais

Cultivars
  • Portea 'Helga Tarver'
  • Portea 'June'

References
  1. "Bromeliad Genera Etymology". Archived from the original on 2007-02-03. Retrieved 2007-02-22.
  2. Centre historique des Archives nationales: Missions et voyageurs du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (in French)
  3. http://mybscf.org/files/folders/178/download.aspx
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