Aechmea is a genus of flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae (subfamily Bromelioideae). The name comes from the Greek aichme, meaning "spear". Suggested pronunciations include and . Aechmea comprises eight subgenera and around 250 species distributed from Mexico through South America and the Caribbean. Most of the species in this genus are epiphytes.

Subgenera

Subgenera include:

• Aechmea subg. Aechmea Baker

• Aechmea subg. Chevaliera (Gaudichaud ex Beer) Baker

• Aechmea subg. Lamprococcus (Beer) Baker

• Aechmea subg. Macrochordion (De Vriese) Baker

• Aechmea subg. Ortgiesia (Regel) Mez

• Aechmea subg. Platyaechmea (Baker) Baker

• Aechmea subg. Podaechmea Mez

• Aechmea subg. Pothuava (Baker) Baker

• Aechmea subg. Streptocalyx ined.

Species

, Plants of the World Online listed the following species:

Transferred

• Aechmea bicolor → Wittmackia bicolor

• Aechmea burle-marxii → Wittmackia burle-marxii

• Aechmea depressa → Karawata depressa

• Aechmea gustavoi → Karawata gustavoi

• Aechmea hostilis → Karawata hostilis (E.Pereira) J.R.Maciel & G.M.Sousa

• Aechmea involucrata → Ronnbergia involucrata

• Aechmea multiflora → Karawata multiflora

• Aechmea nigribracteata → Karawata nigribracteata

• Aechmea prasinata → Karawata prasinata

• Aechmea saxicola → Karawata saxicola

• Aechmea tonduzii → Ronnbergia tonduzii

• Aechmea turbinocalyx → Wittmackia turbinocalyx

• Aechmea veitchii → Ronnbergia veitchii

Cultivars

Cultivars include:

• Aechmea 'Blue Tango'

• Aechmea 'Burgundy'

• Aechmea 'Fire'

• Aechmea 'Gympie Gold'

• Aechmea 'Jeanie'

• Aechmea 'Malva'

References