Karawata multiflora
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New genus Karawata by Derek Butcher Sept 2019
This new genus was created by J. Marciel et al. in Systematic Botany 44(3): 519–535. 2019
Phylogenetics work revealed that Aechmea subg. Chevaliera is not a monophyletic group. Seven species previously assigned to the subgenus form a clade with strong statistical support and in sister position to morphologically distinct members of other genera. Morphological and phylogenetic evidence segregates these seven species in a new genus named Karawata, which requires the following new combinations: Karawata depressa, Karawata gustavoi, Karawata hostilis, Karawata multiflora, Karawata nigribracteata, Karawata prasinata, and Karawata saxicola.
These days the trend seems to be to create new genera rather than trying to solve the problem at sub-genus level. This in turn creates problems with naming of man-made hybrids. In this case a quick check of the Bromeliad Cultivar Register has revealed that none of the 7 taxa have been reported. All named have impressive inflorescences but are large plants and take many years to flower which may be the cause of reluctance to hybridise.
| Karawata multiflora by Oscar Ribeiro |
Updated 03/09/19