Glomeropitcairnia

Glomeropitcarnia is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Tillandsioideae. The genus name is from the Latin “glomero” (to form into a ball) and the genus Pitcairnia.^[2] It has two known species, native to Venezuela, Trinidad and the Lesser Antilles.^[1][3][4]

Glomeropitcairnia
Glomeropitcairnia penduliflora
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Bromeliaceae
Subfamily:	Tillandsioideae
Genus:	Glomeropitcairnia Mez
Synonyms[1]
Tillandsia penduliflora Griseb. Caraguata penduliflora (Griseb.) Wittm. Hepetis penduliflora (Griseb.) Mez

Taxonomy

This plant group had been classified as a genera within the Pitcairnioideae subfamily, but modern cladistic and DNA analysis has revealed them as a member of Tillandsioideae, most closely related to the Guzmania and Mezobromelia genera. The only two species of this plant described to date are G. penduliflora and G. erectiflora, both common to the Caribbean. Among tank bromeliads they are noted as being able to store the most water, up to five gallons, providing a water source for other biota (with special reference to the environmentally sensitive El Tucuche Golden Tree Frog - Phytotriades auratus ).^[5]

Species

Image	Scientific name	Distribution
	Glomeropitcairnia erectiflora Mez	Trinidad, Venezuela (including Venezuelan Antilles)
	Glomeropitcairnia penduliflora (Grisebach) Mez	Lesser Antilles