Alcantarea Giant Bromeliads from Brazil

About this book

Language: English

Previously published in a first edition as Bromélias: Gigantes do Brasil, written in Portuguese, the second edition is now fully written in English. In eight chapters written by 17 authors, this book covers cultivation, taxonomy, morphology, floral anatomy, pollen morphology, ecology, micro-propagation, conservation of the genus Alcantarea, popularly known as giant-bromeliad or imperial bromeliad. Maps, identification keys and 52 full-colour pages of photo plates are presented.

For centuries, the giant Brazilian bromeliads, belonging to the genus Alcantarea, have proven of great interest to naturalists and collectors. Reaching up to 5 m in height when in bloom, Alcantarea are among the most popular garden bromeliads. In addition to their importance to horticulture, most species of Alcantarea keep a considerable volume of water between their leaves and provide an important reservoir for fauna or even for other plants. In this fully illustrated book, edited by a writer with a PhD on the genus, readers will learn cultivation, use in the landscaping, history, taxonomy, morphology and ecology of these beautiful plants. Here, all bromeliad enthusiasts and landscapers will have the opportunity to get to know each species and their rocky habitats in eastern Brazil.

Contents

Chapter 1: Alcantarea cultivation and use in landscape gardening / John Byth, Leonardo M. Versieux, Pedro Nahoum & Robert Smythe
Chapter 2: Two new highly ornamental giant bromeliads (Alcantarea, Tillandsioideae) from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil / Leonardo M. Versieux & Pedro Nahoum
Chapter 3: Bromeliaceae and the taxonomy of Alcantarea / Leonardo M. Versieux & Maria das Graças Lapa Wanderley
Chapter 4: Comparative floral anatomy of Alcantarea and Vriesea / Kleber Resende Silva, Leonardo M. Versieux, Sandra Santa-Rosa, Nanuza L. de Menezes & Adriana Pinheiro Martinelli
Chapter 5: Pollen morphology and discrimination in Alcantarea and Waltillia hatschbachii / Cynthia Fernandes Pinto da Luz, Valéria Leobina dos Santos, Maria das Graças Lapa Wanderley & Leonardo M. Versieux
Chapter 6: Identifying suitable habitats for Alcantarea imperialis and Waltillia hatschbachii and their survival under climate change / Talita Mota Machado & Leonardo M. Versieux
Chapter 7: Micropropagation and ex situ conservation of Alcantarea / Everton Hilo de Souza, Fernanda Vidigal Duarte Souza & Maria Angélica Pereira de Carvalho Costa
Chapter 8: Conservation of Alcantarea / Gustavo Martinelli, Eduardo P. Fernandez & Leonardo M. Versieux

Customer Reviews