genus Aechmea Ruiz & Pav. |
(subfam. Bromelioideae)Publ: Classis VI. Hexandria Monogynia. Pourretia Vol.1: 47. t. 8 (1794)
Fl. peruv. prodr.: 47. Oct 1794, nom. cons. (against Hoiriri Adans., Fam. pl. 2: 67, 584. Jul-Aug 1763).
Type Aechmea paniculata Ruiz & Pav., Fl. peruv. 3: 37. Aug 1802. When Ruiz & Pavon originally established Aechmea, they did not attribute any species to the genus. In 1802, they described a single species, Aechmea paniculata, thereby establishing it as the obligate type. Currently recognized in the subfam. Bromelioideae. The genus sensu Smith & Downs (1979) is clearly artificial, polyphyletic, and in need of a careful revision. The attempts by Smith & Kress (in Phytologia 66: 70-79. 27 Apr 1989, and Phytologia 69: 272-274. 14 Nov (‘Oct’) 1990) to alleviate the problem by elevating the seven subgenera of Aechmea recognized by Smith & Downs (1979) to the generic level only caused further confusion. Particularly problematic is the incorrectness in their choice of generic names. From the Greek, aichme, spear.
(from Grant & Zijlstra 1998)