Bromeliaceae FAMILY

Bromelia karatas

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The fruits have thin stinging hairs.

Botanical Description

Bromelia plumieri is a stemless, perennial plant producing a rosette of leaves and growing up to 3 metres tall. It is capable of making dense colonies by means of underground stolons[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant is harvested by local people as a source of food and medicines. The fruit is sometimes sold in local markets[ 46 Title Dictionary of Economic Plants. Publication Author Uphof. J. C. Th. Publisher Weinheim Year 1959 ISBN - Description An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader. ]. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Brazil and Ecuador north through Central America to Mexico and the West Indies.

HabitatMarginal forests bordering savannahs and in deciduous forests, at elevations of 1,300 - 1,500 metres[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ].