Stats

Lifespan

10-15 yrs

Size

Large

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Tropical rainforest

Range

South America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Armor

Status

Vulnerable

About

This giant bromeliad clings to the steep, rocky cliffs of southeastern Brazil. Its deep red leaves form a central tank that holds up to nineteen liters of rainwater.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Liliopsida

Order

Poales

Family

Bromeliaceae

Genus

Alcantarea

Species

Alcantarea imperialis