Portea is a small genus of New World plants, and according to the Bromeliad Binomial, currently includes nine species. The bromeliads are
endemic to the eastern Atlantic coast of Brazil, where the sea breezes,
marine layer, adequate precipitation and year-round favorable temperatures can see these plants grow upwards of 5 feet (1.52 m) or taller, especially when blooms are accounted for. They thrive in most lighting conditions, from bright shade to strong, indirect light as well as all-day sun or partial sun, being one of the bromeliad genera that does best in full sun. More light results in better leaf form, color; additionally, adequate lighting triggers repeat, annual flowering cycles, sometimes blooming twice in a year. The tall, profuse
inflorescences are often dripping with nectar, and are frequented by many
hummingbirds,
sunbirds and other
pollinators. The foliage of this genus often is quite attractive, if not simple in its lime-chartreuse green hue. Increased sunlight and slightly decreased moisture can give an appealing, “sun-stressed” reddish-bronze shade to the leaves, as can cooler autumn and winter temperatures. The length of the inflorescence is rather impressive, measuring nearly 3 feet (1 meter) long, eventually “drooping” slightly, from the weight of the flowers and berries (once pollinated), adding to the plant’s impressive stature as a whole. As with many bromeliads, the leaves’ perimeters are lined with tiny, saw-like “teeth”, which, while not dangerously sharp—such as the spines of a
Dyckia or
Hechtia—, may cause an itchy reaction in the skin if contact is made. This is due to the natural presence of
bromelain, an
enzyme found among the Bromeliaceae and commonly used in digestive supplements. This enzyme is most prevalent, however, in
pineapples (genus
Ananas), another type of bromeliad. ==Species==