Bromeliaceae (Bromeliads)

tropical plants · flowering plants · rainforest

Tropical rainforest homes. Bromeliads are mostly found in the hot, wet rainforests of Central and South America, where they grow on trees and rocks in the humid climate.

Huge plant family. There are about 3,700 different species of bromeliads in about 80 different groups, making it one of the biggest plant families in the tropics.

Built-in water tanks. Many bromeliads collect rainwater in special cups formed by their leaves, creating little pools where insects and even small animals drink and live.

Rainforest superstars. Bromeliads are so common in tropical rainforests that they support entire mini-ecosystems of frogs, insects, and birds living in and around them.

One African explorer. While bromeliads are almost entirely from the Americas, one special species called Pitcairnia feliciana made its home in tropical West Africa.