Puya raimondii

Taxobox
name = "Puya raimondii"

---

image_width = 240px
image_caption = inflorescence
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Liliopsida
ordo = Poales
familia = Bromeliaceae
genus = "Puya"
species = "P. raimondii"
binomial = "Puya raimondii"
binomial_authority = Harms

Puya Raimondi ("Puya raimondii") is an endemic species of the altoandina zone of Peru and Bolivia, found at an altitude of 3200 - 4800 m. It was discovered at an altitude of 12,992 ft in Bolivia in 1870. The flower emerges after about 80-150, However, one planted near sea level at the University of California's Botanical Garden, Berkeley, USA, in 1958 grew to 7,6 m (24 ft 11) in and bloomed as early as August 1986 after only 28 years. It is not only the largest of the Puya species, but also the largest Bromeliad. It can reach 3 m tall in vegetative growth, with a flower spike 9-10 m tall. Like most Bromeliads, it dies soon after flowering. It is considered to be an endangered species. Seeds were collected of "P. raimondii" in 1999 and 2000 of the rodales of Huashta Cruz (district Free People, Ancash region, Peru).

In the area of Catac, there are lots of the famous Puyas Raimondi. These plants are mainly located in the spacious forests from three important places of Ancash, Peru: the gully of Ingenio in Catac, the punas of Cajamarquilla and the gully of Queshque, also in Catac.

The Puya Raimondi was named in this way in homage to the Italian wise person who discovered it. This plant is a gigantic inflorescence that is unique all over the world. It reaches up to 10 m height, with more than three thousand flowers and six million seeds in each plant. Its biological cycle is approximately 40 years.

External links

[http://fcbs.org/butcher/Puya_raimondii.htm Puya raimondii]

[http://www.strangewonderfulthings.com/186.htm Puya raimondii]