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Portea is a genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae. It is native to the Atlantic coast of Brazil.
The genus is named for Dr. Marius Porte, a nineteenth-century French naturalist who died in 1866, in Manila, while on a specimen-collecting expedition for the French National Museum of Natural History.Centre historique des Archives nationales: Missions et voyageurs du Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
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 are often dripping with nectar, and are frequented by many hummingbirds, sunbirds and other .
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.
| southeastern Brazil. |
| Bahia state, southeastern Brazil. |
| Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. |
| Bahia state, southeastern Brazil. |
| Bahia state, southeastern Brazil. |
| Bahia state, southeastern Brazil. |
| Brazil |
| Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Bahia, Espírito Santo, and Minas Gerais |
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