Pitcairnia


Pitcairnia is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. It was named after William Pitcairn, Scottish physician and gardener. Pitcairnia ranks as the second most species-rich genus in the family Bromeliaceae, after Tillandsia. They are most abundant in Colombia, Peru and Brazil, but can also be found in areas from Cuba and Mexico south to Argentina. One species, Pitcairnia feliciana, is found in tropical West Africa, and is the only member of the family Bromeliaceae not native to the Americas.
Almost all Pitcairnias are terrestrial or saxicolous, and prefer moist areas. However, many are found growing epiphytically in trees.

Taxonomy

Pitcairnia was established as a genus by Charles [Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle] in 1788. In 1870, Pepinia was established as a genus by Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart in a publication by Édouard André. Pepinia was reduced to a subgenus of Pitcairnia in 1881 by John Gilbert Baker, but elevated again to a genus in 1988, largely on the basis of the morphology of its seeds. The use of morphological characters to differentiate Pepinia from Pitcairnia was rejected in 1999; a view confirmed later by multiple molecular studies.

Species

, Plants of [the World Online] accepted 407 species, including those formerly placed in the genus Pepinia, now treated as Pitcairnia subgenus Pepinia.

Cultivars and hybrids

  • Pitcairnia albiflos × staminea
  • Pitcairnia × daiseyana
  • Pitcairnia 'Beaujolais'
  • Pitcairnia 'Bud Curtis'
  • Pitcairnia 'Chiamenez'
  • Pitcairnia 'Coral Horizon'
  • Pitcairnia 'Flaming Arrow'
  • Pitcairnia 'Hartwig'
  • Pitcairnia 'Hattie'
  • Pitcairnia 'Jim Scrivner'
  • Pitcairnia 'Maroni'
  • Pitcairnia 'Pinot Noir'
  • Pitcairnia 'Stardust'
  • Pitcairnia 'Stephen Hoppin'
  • Pitcairnia 'Verdia Lowe'