| Puya alpestris | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Puya alpestris flowers at the Huntington Desert Garden in San Marino, California. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Bromeliaceae |
| Genus: | Puya |
| Species: | P. alpestris |
| Binomial name | |
| Puya alpestris | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Puya alpestris is a species ofbromeliad endemic to theChileanAndes. It is native to dry hills, rock outcrops in central and southern Chile at elevations of 0 to 2200 meters. It is one of the most southerly occurring species within the family. It is one of the fewPuya species that are grown in some parks and gardens as anornamental plant. It is more commonly known as the Sapphire Tower.
Puya alpestris grows as axerophytic, perennial plant. A dense rosette of leaves is formed on a short stem. The tough, stiffly protruding, parallel-veined leaves run into a sharp point, have a length of over 1 meter and a width of 2 to 2.5 centimeters. The leaf margin is reinforced with hooked, curved, spines that are approximately 0.5 cm long. The underside of the leaf is dense white scales.
After many years, an upright, loose, paniculate overall inflorescence is formed, which is composed of numerous racemose partial branching inflorescences. The lower third of the branch contain stellate trichomes. It contains many bright redbracts and many individual flowers. The tips of the partial inflorescences are sterile. The flower stalk is about 7 mm long. The hermaphrodite flower is threefold. The three greenish sepals are about 2.3 cm long and hairy or bald. The threeteal petals with blunt tips are about 4.5 cm long and spiral in as they fade. The sixstamens have bright orangeanthers. The flowers produce high amounts of nectar. During the flowering period,hummingbirds and other birds pollinate the flowers. The plant blooms between October and December in habitat.[1]
Capsule fruits are formed, in each of which many small, airworthy seeds are formed. After the seed development, the mother plant slowly dies.[2]
This species was first described by Eduard Friedrich Poeppig in 1833 in theFragmentum Synopseos Plantarum Phanerogamum: 8 under the namePourretia alpestris. The specific epithet alpestris for "Alps inhabiting" refers to the Andes for this species. Another synonym isPuya whytei Hook.f. described in Curtis's Botanical Magazine. A subspecieszoellneri was published in Brittonia in 2013.Puya alpestris is a member of the genusPuya, subgenusPuya.
A distinction is made between the following subspecies:[2]
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
 | Puya alpestris ssp alpestris | Leaf blades 0.35–2.5[−3.2] cm, inflorescences with up to 20 lateral branches, flowering plants, flowering plants 1.2-2.5 meters tall |
 | Puya alpestris sspzoellneri(Mez) Zizka, J.V. Schneid. & Novoa | Leaf blades up to 4.6 cm, inflorescences with at least 40 lateral branches, flowering plants (2–)2.5–4.5 meters tall |
Media related toPuya alpestris at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toPuya alpestris at Wikispecies