Orthophytum species grow as evergreen , perennial herbaceous plants , they are usually somewhat xerophytic . Most Orthophytum species are relatively small (rosette diameter 15 to 30 centimeters, rarely more). The coarse, parallel- veined leaves sit on a compressed main axis in a basal rosette. The leaves are slightly reinforced by a serrated leaf margin. The most decorative of the Orthophytum species are their sometimes wavy, often beautifully drawn (patterned) leaves. The leaves have suction scales at least on the underside of the leaf. Leaves and bracts can be colored more or less intensely red when exposed to a lot of sunlight.
On the inflorescence stem, leaves that are similar to the basal leaves are only slightly smaller. At the end of the stem sits a heady, spiky inflorescence , which looks very similar to the head of a pineapple , in which the flowers sit individually between the foliage-like bracts. In a few species the inflorescences are sessile (nesting) as in Cryptanthus ; for example: Orthophytum albopictum , Orthophytum navioides , Orthophytum saxicola .
The small flowers are radial symmetry and threefold. The three mostly white petals are free up to their base. Only the two species Orthophytum duartei and Orthophytum supthutii have yellow-orange petals. Each petal has two scales (ligules) at its base. There are two circles with three stamens each. Three carpels have become an under constant ovary grown. The stylus ends in a three-lobed scar.
The genus Orthophytum was established in 1854 by Joseph Georg Beer in Flora , 37, p. 347. The botanical name of the genus Orthophytum is derived from the Greek words ortho for upright, straight and phytum for plant.
Their areas are only in the arid regions in eastern Brazil . They are predominantly terrestrial or lithophytic (on rocks, for example Orthophytum itambense ) living species.
There are around 67 Orthophytum species (as of 2014):
Orthophytum albopictum Philcox : It thrives terrestrially or lithophytically only in the Brazilian state of Bahia .
Orthophytum alvimii W. Weber : It only thrives at altitudes of around 200 meters in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum amoenum (Ule) LBSm. : It only thrives lithophytically in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum argentum Louzada & Wand. (Syn .: Orthophytum toscanoi subsp. Atropurpureum Braun & Esteves ): It was first described in 2011 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. It thrives lithophytically on quartzite outcrops in "Campos rupestres" mostly near flowing waters or in shady locations or rarely in open locations at altitudes of 1000 to 1300 meters.
Orthophytum atalaiense J.A. Siqueira & Leme : It wasfirst describedin 2007 from the Brazilian state of Alagoas . It thrives lithophytically at altitudes of about 500 meters.
Orthophytum benzingii Leme & H.Luther : It wasfirst describedin 1998 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais . It thrives lithophytically at altitudes of about 450 meters.
Orthophytum boudetianum Leme & L. Kollmann : It wasfirst describedin 2007 from the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo . It thrives in small groups in full sun on thin accumulations of organic substrates on granite outcrops in high areas of the Mata Atlântica at altitudes of 1050 to 1100 meters.
Orthophytum buranhense Leme & APFontana : It was first described from Brazil in 2010. It thrives lithophytically at altitudes of 360 to 490 meters only in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum burle-marxii L.B.Sm. & RWRead var. Burle-marxii : It occurs in Brazil.
Orthophytum burle-marxii var. Seabrae Rauh : It occurs only in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum catingae Leme : It was first described from Brazil in 2010. It thrives terrestrially on sandy soils in semi-arid areas at altitudes of about 230 meters in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Alagoas.
Orthophytum cearense Leme & F.Monteiro : It wasfirst describedin 2010 from the Brazilian state of Ceará . It thrives terrestrially and was only found between rock outcrops in remnants of disturbed tropical deciduous secondary forest at altitudes of around 1140 meters.
Orthophytum compactum L.B.Sm. : It thrives on rocky slopes at altitudes of around 1200 meters only in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum conquistense Leme & M.Machado : It was first described in 2006 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. It thrives lithophytically on flat igneous conglomerate rocks at altitudes of about 800 meters.
Orthophytum diamantinense Leme : It was first described in 2008 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. It thrives terrestrially in accumulations of organic material between rocks and in crevices in full sun or often protected under bushes at altitudes of around 1100 meters.
Orthophytum disjunctum L.B.Sm. (Syn .: Orthophytum disjunctum var. Minus L.B.Sm. ): There are only five varieties left:
Orthophytum disjunctum var. Angustobracteatum Rauh : It thrives terrestrially on sand at altitudes of around 500 meters only near Iacquariti in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum disjunctum L.B.Sm. var. disjunctum : It thrives on rocky hills at altitudes of around 450 meters in the northeastern Brazilian states of Pernambuco and Alagoas.
Orthophytum disjunctum var. Striatum Rauh : It thrives on rocks in Brazil.
Orthophytum disjunctum var. Variegatum Rauh : It only thrives at altitudes of around 800 meters in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum disjunctum var. Viridiflorum Rauh : It occurs only in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum duartei L.B.Sm. : It forms stocks and is associated with other Bromeliaceae or with Velloziaceae. It occurs in the Brazilian states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum eddie-estevesii Leme : It was first described in 2000 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. It thrives terrestrially on rocky soils or lithophytically in the "Campos rupestres" in the grasslands at altitudes of around 1300 meters.
Orthophytum elegans Leme : It was first described in 2010 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. It thrives terrestrially at altitudes of 310 to 340 meters.
Orthophytum erigens Leme : It was first described in 2010 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. It thrives terrestrially.
Orthophytum estevesii (Rauh) Leme (Syn .: Orthophytum fosterianum var. Estevesii Rauh ): Little is known about them. It thrives lithophytically.
Orthophytum falconii Leme : It was first described in 2003 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. It thrives terrestrially.
Orthophytum foliosum L.B.Sm. : It thrives on limestone rocks in the Brazilian states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum fosterianum L.B.Sm. : It occurs only in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo and was first described using a cultivated specimen.
Orthophytum glabrum (Mez) Mez : It thrives on slopes only in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum graomogolense Leme & CCPaula : It was first described in 2008 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. This endemic has so far only been found in Grão-Mogol near the intersection with the road to Cristália on the edge of the Itacambiraçú river near the bridge. It thrives terrestrially on sandy soils between quartzite rocks in "Campos Rupestres" at an altitude of about 650 meters.
Orthophytum grossiorum Leme & Paula : It was first described in 2003 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. So far it has only been found on the road from Teofilo Otoni to Nanuque, Carlos Chagas, Caladao at altitudes of about 254 meters.
Orthophytum guaratingense Leme & L. Kollmann : It was first described in 2010 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. This endemic thrives at an altitude of about 320 meters in tightly packed, small groups in full sun lithophytically on granite rocks with a very thin layer of organic substrate. It is associated with large groups of Aechmea and Alcantarea species, which ensure shady conditions. At the site, Orthophytum guaratingense has both groups of plants with green and reddish leaves.
Orthophytum gurkenii Hutchison : It occurs only in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum harleyi Leme & M.Machado : It was first described in 2006 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. It thrives lithophytically at altitudes of about 700 meters.
Orthophytum hatschbachii Leme : It only thrives lithophytically in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum heleniceae Leme : It was first described in 2004 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. It thrives lithophytically at altitudes of about 1300 meters.
Orthophytum horridum Leme : It was first described in 2004 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais and thrives lithophytically.
Orthophytum humile L.B.Sm. : It thrives lithophytically in places often on rocks only in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum jabrense G.S.Baracho & JASiqueira : It wasfirst describedin 2004 from the Brazilian state of Paraíba . It thrives lithophytically at altitudes of 800 to 1200 meters.
Orthophytum jacaraciense Leme : It was first described in 2010 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. It thrives terrestrially in somewhat sunny locations on the edge of shrub vegetation on inland dunes on white sand soils that have formed over quartzite rock at altitudes of 900 to 1000 meters.
Orthophytum lanuginosum Leme & Paula : It was first described in 2005 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais and thrives lithophytically.
Orthophytum leprosum (Mez) Mez : It thrives terrestrially or lithophytically on rocky slopes in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum lucidum Leme & H.Luther : It was first described in 1999 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. This endemic thrives lithophytically at altitudes of around 300 meters.
Orthophytum macroflorum Leme & M.Machado : It was first described in 2006 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. This endemic thrives lithophytically at altitudes of around 800 meters.
Orthophytum magalhaesii L.B.Sm. : It thrives on rocks only in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum maracasense L.B.Sm. : It thrives at altitudes of around 900 meters in the Brazilian states of Bahia and Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum mello-barretoi L.B.Sm. : It thrives between rocks at altitudes of around 1400 meters only in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
Orthophytum mucugense Wanderley & Conceição : It was first described in 2006 from the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum navioides (LBSm.) LBSm. : This endemic thrives on vertical rocks above flowing water in an isolated gorge only in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum ophiuroides Louzada & Wanderley : It was first described in 2006 from the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum piranianum Leme & CCPaula : It was first described in 2008 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. So far it has only been found terrestrially on sandy to stony soils or accumulations of organic material on sandstone rocks in the "Campos Rupestres" in full sun or somewhat shaded by bushes growing at altitudes of around 920 meters.
Orthophytum pseudostoloniferum Leme & L. Kollmann : It was first described in 2010 from the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. So far it has only been found in shady, moist locations near a waterfall in Mata Atlântica at altitudes of about 300 meters, it forms dense large groups, mostly lithophytically on rocks, less often on the forest floor.
Orthophytum pseudovagans Leme & L. Kollmann : It was first described in 2007 from the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. It thrives lithophytically in dense, large stands in the shade or in seasonally moist forests. So far it has only been found at low altitudes of around 250 meters in somewhat open forests with trees 5 to 6 meters high.
Orthophytum rafaelii Leme : It was first described in 2011 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. This endemic thrives lithophytically in crevices of rock walls in "Campos Rupestres".
Orthophytum riocontense Leme : It was described in 2006 using a cultivated specimen. It thrives lithophytically at altitudes of about 700 meters only in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum roseum Leme : It was first described in 2010 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. It thrives lithophytically in dense stands on vertical sandstone cliffs along flowing waters in "Campos Rupestres" in more or less shady locations.
Orthophytum rubiginosum Leme : It was first described in 2006 from the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. So far it has only been found growing lithophytically at altitudes of about 150 meters.
Orthophytum rubrum L.B.Sm. : It occurs only in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum sanctum L.B.Sm. : This endemic thrives at altitudes of around 900 meters only in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo.
Orthophytum saxicola var. Aloifolium O.Schwartz : It was first described using a specimen cultivated in Hamburg and nothing is known about its origin.
Orthophytum saxicola (Ule) LBSm. var. saxicola : It thrives lithophytically at altitudes of around 450 meters only in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum schulzianum Leme & M.Machado : It was first described in 2005 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. So far it has only been found growing on rocks at an altitude of about 1260 meters near Diamantina.
Orthophytum striatifolium Leme & L. Kollmann : It was first described in 2007 from the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. It thrives lithophytically in the Mata Atlântica.
Orthophytum sucrei H.Luther : It was first described in 1997 on the basis of a cultivated specimen. It thrives terrestrially in the Brazilian state of Bahia.
Orthophytum teofilo-otonense Leme & L. Kollmann : It was first described in 2010 from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. So far it has only been found lithophytically on slightly sloping granite rocks in full sun in the Mata Atlântica at altitudes of about 370 meters.
Orthophytum toscanoi Leme : It was first described in 2003 on the basis of a cultivated specimen from the Brazilian state of Bahia. It thrives terrestrially or lithophytically.
Orthophytum triunfense J.A. Siqueira & Leme : It was first described in 2007 on the basis of a cultivated specimen that comes from the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. It thrives lithophytically.
Orthophytum ulei Louzada & Wall. : It was first described in 2010 from the Brazilian state of Bahia. This endemic thrives lithophytically in dry locations mostly in full sun on rocks or in stony grassland at altitudes of around 870 meters.
Orthophytum vagans M.B.Foster : It was first described on the basis of a cultivated specimen from the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo; more is not known about their location.
Orthophytum zanonii Leme : It was first described in 2004 from the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. This endemic thrives terrestrially or lithophytically at altitudes of around 300 meters.
There are also generic hybrid crossed, for example: × Neophytum from Neoregelia × Orthophytum .
Orthophytum vidaliorum O. Ribeiro & CCPaula → Lapanthus vidaliorum (OBCRibeiro & CC Paula) Louzada & Wall.
use
Some species and varieties are grown in specialist nurseries and so you can find them now and then in garden centers and flower shops. They are very suitable as house plants as they are very easy to care for and are relatively small. Since they are very robust, are not eaten by most animals and are completely non-toxic, they can be highly recommended for terrariums . The multiplication takes place through Kindel .
swell
literature
Werner Rauh : Bromeliads - Tillandsias and other bromeliads worthy of culture. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1990, ISBN 3-8001-6371-3 .
Lyman B. Smith , Robert Jack Downs: Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae). In: Flora Neotropica , Monograph 14, Part 3, Hafner Press, New York 1979. Orthophytum from p. 1696
Rafael Batista Louzada, Clarisse Palma-Silva, Andrea Macêdo Corrêa, Eliane Kaltchuk-Santos, Maria das Graças Lapa Wanderley: Chromosome number of Orthophytum species (Bromeliaceae). In: Kew Bulletin , Volume 65, Number 1, 2010, pp. 53-58.
Rafael Batista Louzada, Katharina Schulte, Maria das Graças Lapa Wanderley, D. Silvestro, Georg Zizka, Michael HJ Barfuss, Clarisse Palma-Silva: Molecular phylogeny of the Brazilian endemic genus Orthophytum (Bromelioideae, Bromeliaceae) and its implications on morphological character evolution. In: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution , Volume 77, August 2014, pp. 54-64. doi : 10.1016 / j.ympev.2014.03.007
↑ Rafael B. Louzada, Leonardo M. Versieux: Lapanthus (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioideae): A New Genus from the Southern Espinhaço Range, Brazil. In: Systematic Botany , Volume 35, Issue 3, 2010, pp. 497-503.
Orthophytum in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
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