Ananas
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The genus Ananas belongs to the Bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae). It is best known for the species Ananas comosus, better known as the pineapple.
This genus originated in South America and was brought to the Caribbean Islands by the Carib Indians. In 1493, Christopher Columbus first saw plants of this genus in Guadeloupe. It was brought to Europe, and from there was distributed to the Pacific Islands by the Spanish and the English. Commercial pineapple plantations were established in Hawaii, the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Florida and Cuba. The pineapple has become one of the world's most popular fruits.
The tough leaves grow in large rosettes, arising basally from a crown. These leaves are long and lanceolate with a serrate or thorny margin. The flowers, arising from the heart of the rosette, each have their own sepals. They grow into a compact head on a short, robust stalk. The sepals become fleshy and juicy and develop into the well-known complex form of the pseudocarp fruit, crowned by a rosette of leaves.
The word Ananas is derived from the Guarani name for the pineapple.
Species and varieties
- Ananas ananassoides var. typicus
- Ananas arvensis : (Brazil)
- Ananas bracteatus : (Brazil)
- *Ananas bracteatus var. albus
- *Ananas bracteatus var. hondurensis
- *Ananas bracteatus var. paraguariensis
- *Ananas bracteatus var. rudis
- *Ananas bracteatus var. striatus (South America)
- *Ananas bracteatus var. tricolor
- *Ananas bracteatus var. typicus
- Ananas comosus - pineapple (Brazil)
- Ananas erectifolius
- Ananas genesio-linesii (Brazil)
- Ananas guaraniticus (Argentina, Paraguay)
- Ananas macrodontes (Brazil)
- Ananas microcephalus (tropical America)
- *Ananas microcephalus var. major (South America)
- *Ananas microcephalus var. minor (South America)
- *Ananas microcephalus var. missionensis (Argentina)
- *Ananas microcephalus var. mondayanus (South America)
- *Ananas microstachys var. typicus
- Ananas mordilona
- Ananas pancheanus (Colombia)
- Ananas parguazensis (South America)
- Ananas pyramidalis
- Ananas sativus (tropical America)
- *Ananas sativus var. hispanorum
- *Ananas sativus var. lucidus
- *Ananas sativus var. muricatus
- *Ananas sativus var. sagenarius
- *Ananas sativus f. typicus
- *Ananas sativus var. variegatus
- Ananas strictus (Paraguay)
- Ananas viridis
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