Correct on the first Kim, T. streptophylla on the second. Grab them seeds! BTW, where are you?

Ha ha, I was thinking the same thing about those seeds Gonzer. Don't you hate when seeds like that fall into pockets? Even the dead, last generation that is dried out in that clump in awesome. Beautiful plant/clump.

I was sitting in a boat on a river in Belize, seeds way out of reach, in a protected refuge, couldn't have pocketed them even had I been able to reach them. Was on the way to Mayan ruins, Lamanai. The big brom is at the archaeological site of Lamanai. Howler monkeys, strangler figs, jurassic-sized palms, incredible temples, it was hot, humid, and wicked. You should have been there!!

" Howler monkeys, strangler figs, jurassic-sized palms, incredible temples, it was hot, humid, and wicked. You should have been there!! "

Sounds like the Gaslamp on Friday night! ;-)

Great shots, let's see more.

Sounds like a great trip, Kim! That last one looks like Ae. bracteata, although I'm not seeing the large spines you usually see on that species.

Hi Kim,
Thanks heaps for posting the pic's.

It's always great to see broms growing in their natural habitat.

You must have had a very enjoyable trip, thanks again, all the best, Nev.

Wow - what a great trip, Kim. Thanks for the glimpse. You've made my travel bug even itchier! I imagine the Mayan ruins were also spectacular?

I also thought maybe Ae. bracteata for the last one Lisa, but the lack of obvious large spines also threw me.

K

I'm wondering if it's just the photo, Kerry, or the location, or our aging eyes........ naaaah, couldn't be that!

Or perhaps there is variation amongst the wild population in the relative spininess of the leaves. The big spiny to the right of Till. streptophylla certainly looks very much like Ae. bracteata's foliage, and it is native to the region. See Wally Berg's habitat photos of Belize on FCBS (linked below). All of the species shown here are represented there. Maybe Wally went on the same trip!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bromeliads in habitat (northern Central America)

Thanks all! Based on Lisa's link, I'd say that's definitely Ae. bracteata, but at a slightly different time of year. Flowers not fully developed in my photos. And it's very spiny along the leaves, no question. Maybe more visible in this pic?
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Lisa, I think the big spiny to the right of T. streptophylla might match Wally Berg's photo of Bill. viridiflora, possibly?

This was primarily a SCUBA trip, only spent one day in the jungle with my head above water. : ) I wasn't really prepared for the visual assault of so many bromeliads and orchids stuffed all over the trees, especially thick along the river. So near, but completely out of reach, and I had to persuade the guide to *please* stop the boat closer to the trees, but I didn't get to select which tree... Everyone else on the boat wondered what all the fuss was about. When you ask the guide what a plant is, he replies, "These are air plants." So it was exhilarating and frustrating at the same time.

And yes, Kerry the Mayan ruins were spectacular!

High Temple at Lamanai:
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Jaguar Temple:
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If you ever get a chance, go! But plan for more time in the jungle!!

Yes, thanks for that interesting link Lisa. Looks like the mystery is solved with the Ae. bracteata. That latest photo Kim posted does show the spines better for these ol' eyes.

Kim - those temples are fantastic. It was a good idea to include that bloke in the first photo, for scale purposes.
Probably a silly question, but how come the grass looks so well kept? - out there in the wilderness and only accessible by boat. Is there a local village nearby, with a trusty old lawn mower? - or maybe foot-worn from many visitors?

Were there many l...l...l.l..leeches?

And what underwater marvels did you spy?

K