Sole genus of the subfamily Puyoideae
Puya is a genus of the botanical family Bromeliaceae. It is the sole genus of the subfamily Puyoideae, and is composed of 226 species. These terrestrial plants are native to the Andes Mountains of South America and southern Central America. Many of the species are monocarpic, with the parent plant dying after one flower and seed production event.
The species "Puya raimondii" is notable as the largest species of bromeliad known, reaching 3 m tall in vegetative growth with a flower spike 9–10 m tall. The other species are also large, with the flower spikes mostly reaching 1–4 m tall.
The name "Puya" was derived from the Mapuche Indian word meaning "point".
Taxonomy.
The genus is commonly divided into two subgenera, "Puya", containing eight species, and "Puyopsis" containing the remainder. The subgenera can be distinguished by the presence of a sterile inflorescence at the branch apex in "Puya", which are fertile in "Puyopsis".
Species.
As of January 2023[ [update]], Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:
Cultivation and use.
Some species of "Puya" in Chile, locally known as "chagual", are used to make salads from the base of its young leaves or stem. A common species is "Puya chilensis".
References.
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