Pineapple family
Description
A large family of monocotyledons, most of which are herbs and epiphyte, entirely confined to the tropics and warm temporate regions of the New World, except one species in West Africa (Bromeliaceae 1).
Most have stiff spined leaves crowded together in a bushy rosette. The inflorescence is terminal, sometimes with showy bracts, being a spike, raceme or a cyme. Flowers are regular, with 3 sepals and petals, 6 stamens and an inferior ovary. The fruit is a berry or a capsule.
There are about 50 genera.
Use
The pineapple is the large syncarp fruit of the Genus Ananas. Other genera yield fibres for textiles and cordage.
Described species
Ananas comosus, pineapple
Aechmea magdalenae, pita, see Ananas comosus