Wide-leafed dyckia

Description

Dyckia platyphylla is a plant species in the genus Dyckia. It is endemic to the State of Bahia in eastern Brazil. Dyckia is a genus of plants in the family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Pitcairnioideae. The genus is named after the Prussian botanist, botanical artist and horticulturist The Prince and Earl of Salm Reifferscheid-Dyck (1773–1861). Dyckias, with stiff and thorny leaves, prefer rocky and/or sunny areas and have a natural tendency to clump leading to thick, large mats. The subfamily Pitcairnioideae contains several "terrestrial" members of the Bromeliaceae, with cultivated genera including Dyckia, Hechtia, Pitcairnia and Puya. Considered to be the most ancient lineage of bromeliads, they are endemic to arid and high-altitude regions of Brazil and the central part of South America.