Aechmea magdalenae: A Giant Terrestrial Bromeliad Common in the Shaded Forest Understory

Aehmea magdalenae (André) André ex Baker, a large terrestrial bromeliad, is widely distributed throughout the neotropics, including Barro Colorado Island in central Panama. This shade-tolerant plant produces approximately 2-m-tall rosette ramets with long spiney leaves. It spreads by rhizomes to form dense monospecific stands in the forest understory. Interestingly, this species uses crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) for photosynthetic carbon gain whereas most other tropical forest understory plant species rely on C3 photosynthesis. The biology and natural history of this plant are reviewed here, emphasizing its ethnobotanical significance, its role in structuring forest communities, and the functional significance of CAM for this plant’s ecological success on the forest floor.