Chilean Puya

Use this forum to discuss matters relating to xeric Bromeliads such as Hechtia, Dyckia, Puya, Tillandsia and related species. This is where one posts unknown plant photos for ID help.
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Minime8484
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Chilean Puya

#1

Post by Minime8484 »

I just returned from Chile, and I was lucky enough to be there while three species of Puya were in bloom.
Puya alpestris ssp zoellneri (formerly referred to in error as P. berteroniana)
Puya alpestris ssp zoellneri (formerly referred to in error as P. berteroniana)
BVAL3249.JPG (142.84 KiB) Viewed 1511 times
Puya alpestris ssp zoellneri - flowers
Puya alpestris ssp zoellneri - flowers
XPHK1848.JPG (85.61 KiB) Viewed 1511 times
Puya coerulea var. monteroana
Puya coerulea var. monteroana
IMG_2798.JPG (219.07 KiB) Viewed 1511 times
Puya coerulea var. monteroana - flowers
Puya coerulea var. monteroana - flowers
IMG_2799.JPG (127.27 KiB) Viewed 1511 times
Puya venusta
Puya venusta
IMG_2842.JPG (160.89 KiB) Viewed 1511 times
Puya venusta - flowers
Puya venusta - flowers
IMG_2846.JPG (187.82 KiB) Viewed 1511 times
Additionally, this plant was a favorite of the Giant Hummingbirds, but I've not a clue what it is...it's not a Puya, but thought it may be in the same Family?
Unidentified
Unidentified
IMG_2931.JPG (122.52 KiB) Viewed 1511 times
Patagona gigas
Patagona gigas
IMG_E2913.JPG (31.33 KiB) Viewed 1511 times
Any ID assistance is appreciated!
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Azuleja
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Re: Chilean Puya

#2

Post by Azuleja »

Cool photos! I'm not good at identifying them, but I think puya are awesome.
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Gee.S
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Re: Chilean Puya

#3

Post by Gee.S »

Terrific photos, thanks for posting!
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Geoff
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Re: Chilean Puya

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Post by Geoff »

Last plant the hummingbirds liked is Phormium tenax (New Zealand flax- not a native of Chile obviously). Those three plants were definitely the more recognizable of the Puyas growing here in California, though the subspecies names were not familiar. There are many 'forms' of Puya alpestris here in botanical gardens though never seen one keyed down past species, and that Puya coerulea with the thin purple flowers looks like what is usually identified here as Puya coerulea var. violacea.
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Minime8484
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Re: Chilean Puya

#5

Post by Minime8484 »

Thanks for the ID of the Phorium!.

For my taxonomy, I follow the most recent treatment of taxa (at least that I am aware of) from 2013 [Taxonomic revision of the Chilean Puya species (Puyoideae,
Bromeliaceae), with special notes on the Puya alpestris-Puya berteroniana species complex]; flower structure (bract and pedicel lengths) of the P. coerulea fit var. monteroana much more so than var violacea. Locality fit as well, though the two are very close.
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