What is a Bromeliad?

“Let us play the old guessing game of ‘Twenty Questions’, only we shall not need that many answers to locate the Bromeliaceae. First, it is a plant, a member of the vegetable kingdom. Second, it is a seed plant and not one reproducing by spores. Third , it is an Angio-sperm, or plant with seeds enclosed in an ovary , and not a Conifer. Forth, it is a Monocotyledon with one leaf on the sprout, like corn. Instead of a pair like the bean. With this goes a character that is much easier to seem namely leaves with parallel veins like those of grass. Fith, it has showy flowers with real petals, and not a lot of dry scales, like grass. Sixth, its petals are all alike as in a lily, but there are only three of them , while there appear to be six in a lily.

 

“Finally, flowers are scarcely necessary (for identification). For if you see parallel-veined leaves with scales on them somewhere, there is little else the plant can be but a brtomeliad. However, within these limits, you can find such tremendous diversity as theat between the pineapple and the Spanish moss.”

Lyman B Smith, PH.D

Senior Botanist, Smithsonian Institution ( The Bromeliad

Commentary vol.3 May 1974

 

Questions and Answers from Volume 3

March 1974

The Bromeliad Commentary

Q: We have been told that acetylene gas will stimulate premature flowering in mature plants. Has anyone tried the method

suggested by A.B. Graf (“Exotica”) (this book was sold at the

Extravaganza 2008): 5 grams of calcium carbide in a quart of water? It seems this would be far handier than a tank of

compressed acetylene.

 

A: Calcium carbide is handier than a tank of acetylene gas but from personal experience it is not as successful. I have had only 30 to 40% success with calcium carbide crystals while with acetylene gas our success was nearly 100%. We have experienced leaf burning with calcium carbide and none with acetylene gas. All in all even with its inconvenience, acetylene gas has more chance to get the blooms out.

( From the editor: I could not find the persons name to reference the answers)