Ananas bracteatus

Ananas bracteatus

The red pineapple or Wild pineapple (Ananas bracteatus (Lindl.) Schult. & Schult.f.) is an arbaceous species belonging to the Bromeliaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Magnoliophyta division,
Subdivision Magnoliophytina,
Class Liliopsida,
Subclass Zingiberidae,
Order Bromeliales,
Bromeliad family,
Subfamily Bromelioideae,
Genus Pineapple,
Species A. bracteatus.
The terms are synonyms:
– Ananassa bracteata Lindl. (1837);
– Ananassa sagenaria D.Dietr. (1840);
– Ananas bracteatus subvar. tricolor Bertoni (1919);
– Ananas bracteatus var. macrodontes Bertoni (1919);
– Ananas bracteatus var. rudis Bertoni (1919);
– Ananas bracteatus var. typicus L.B.Sm. (1939);
– Ananas bracteatus var. tricolor (Bertoni) L.B.Sm. (1939);
– Ananas bracteatus var. striatus M.B.Foster (1959);
– Ananas comosus var. bracteatus (Lindl.) Coppens & F.Leal 2002).
– Ananas comosus var. rudis (Bertoni) Camargo (1942);
– Ananas comosus var. tricolor (Bertoni) Camargo (1942);
– Ananas genesio-linsii Reitz (1968);
– Ananas sativus var. bracteatus (Lindl.) Mez..

Etymology –
The term “pineapple” can be traced back to the influence of the indigenous languages of the Americas, in particular to the Guarani term “naná”, which was used by the indigenous people of the Antilles to indicate this particular fruit. During the period of exploration in the New World, European colonists came into contact with the pineapple and adopted the term “pineapple” to refer to this fruit. This term was then spread in European languages and in many other languages ​​of the world.
It should be noted that in some languages the term for pineapple is different. For example, in English pineapple is called “pineapple” (literally “apple of the pine”), in reference to the fruit’s outward resemblance to a pine cone. In other languages such as French, Italian, Spanish and German, the term “pineapple” is common, retaining a similar root to the original indigenous term “naná”.
The specific epithet bracteatus comes from the botanical Latin bractea bractea, equipped with bracts which are modified leaves that subtend the flowers or inflorescences.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Ananas bracteatus is a plant native to South America, in particular to Brazil and the Amazon forest, present in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay and in the Andean region of Venezuela, where it grows in deciduous or semi-deciduous tropical forests up to at 500 m altitude. In Brazil it grows at altitudes from 140 to 320 meters.
Its habitat is that of the humid tropical climate where it prefers well-drained soils rich in organic matter. It is usually found in shaded or partially shaded areas of the forest, where it can grow as an epiphyte on trees or as a terrestrial on the ground.

Description –
Ananas bracteatus is a perennial, evergreen, monocarpic herbaceous plant (which bears fruit only once and then dies). The plant grows to about 1 m in height; it consists of a rosette of ribbon-like, coriaceous, dark green leaves up to 1.5 m long and about 4 cm broad with edges provided with sharp curved thorns.
The long spiny leaves feature broad longitudinal cream and green stripes which are suffused with pink when growing in good light.
At the center of the rosette grows the floral scape, of robust and straight consistency, up to about 50 cm long, which ends with an inflorescence made up of showy, imbricate bracts, with serrated edges, of a red-orange color which surround the flowers, with bright blue petals and a dense rosette of leaves at the top.
The fruit is a compound syncarp of red colour, formed by the fusion of the ripe ovaries with the base of the sepals and bracts and with the bark of the floral axis whose tissues, enlarging, become fleshy and juicy.
The fruit is edible, but smaller, full of seeds and less juicy than that of the Ananas comosus.

Cultivation –
Ananas bracteatus is a plant that is cultivated in tropical countries as a fruit plant but also as an ornamental species in other areas.
In the apartment, small-sized species are grown, which hardly produce edible or considerably sized fruits; there are numerous hybrids, with colored foliage and reddish flowers or with purplish streaks.
This plant is typical of tropical climates and therefore in colder areas it is to be cultivated in a very bright position, but away from direct sunlight, especially during the summer; it can’t stand the cold, therefore in winter they are grown in places with a minimum temperature above 12-15 °C. If they are grown in a dimly lit area, the leaves will tend to lose their mottling.
Outside the tropical zones of origin, the plant is cultivated for the decoration of interiors in luminous and spacious locations, seen the dimensions of the plant, even if for this purpose we tend to select varieties of smaller dimensions; the waterings must be regular in summer, but allowing the superficial layer of the loam to dry up, sandy to favor the drainage and slightly acid, before giving water again, and reduced in winter. The plant requires high temperatures, starting from 18°C, for an excellent growth, even if it resists to lower temperatures of a few degrees if kept dry.
There are several varieties of this species, with leaves streaked with creamy white, the most sought after is the Ananas bracteatus tricolor whose long leaves are crossed by green, yellow and red longitudinal bands. The species tillers quickly and reproduces easily by vegetative means through the new plants that arise from axillary buds between the leaves and on the stem under the fruit, and the “tuft” of leaves above the fruit.
The plant can be propagated mainly in two ways: through seeds or through vegetative propagation. However, it is important to note that commercially grown pineapples are mostly propagated via vegetative propagation, as seed propagation takes longer and produces less firm plants.

Customs and Traditions –
Ananas bracteatus was described and classified for the first time by (Lindl.) Schult. & Schult. f. and published in Systema Vegetabilium 7(2): 1286. 1830.4.
This plant is known by various names depending on where it is marketed or grown; takes the names of: “red pineapple”, “wild pineapple” (English); “ananas requin”, “ananas marron”, “ananas sauvage” (French); “abacaxi-ornamental”, “abacaxi-vermelho”, “ananás-ornamental”, “ananás-vermelho”, “gravatá-de-cerca”, “gravatá-de-rede” (Portuguese); “red pineapple” (Italian); “ananas bravo”, “ananas de cerca”, “ananas do mato”, “piña de playon”, “piña tropical roja” (Spanish); “rote ananas”, “zierananas” (German).
Very decorative and appreciated species, in spite of the thorns, both for the leaves, in particular those of the variegated variety, and for the showy inflorescences and the long-lasting fruits, utilized in the tropical and subtropical gardens isolated or for forming flowerbeds, borders, and also as a defensive barrier, in full sun for a more intense coloring of the leaves and of the fruits.
In addition to food and ornamental purposes, this plant also has other uses; in the places of origin from the leaves particularly resistant fibers are obtained for ropes and fabrics.
The fruit, and even more the stem, contain bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme which, when purified, is used both in pharmacology, mainly as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oedematous agent, and in the food industry to clarify beer, in canned meat, to make it more tender, and in pre-cooked cereals.
Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical plant native to South America and is widely known for its sweet and juicy fruit. While pineapple is primarily enjoyed as a food, certain parts of the plant, such as the rind and stem, have been used in traditional medicine for their purported healing properties.
In traditional medicine, pineapple has often been used for its bromelain content, a group of proteolytic enzymes found in the pineapple pulp and stem. Bromelain has been studied for its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antibacterial and digestive properties. However, it is important to note that most of the research on bromelain’s properties has been done in the laboratory or on animals, and more research is needed to confirm its effects in humans.
Pineapple is also a source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that is important for the overall health of the immune system and collagen formation in the body. Vitamin C may contribute to immune system support and wound healing.
In traditional medicine, pineapple has been used for several purposes, including:
– Digestive support: the bromelain contained in pineapples can help in the digestion of proteins, promoting the absorption of nutrients and reducing the symptoms of indigestion.
– Reduction of inflammation: Bromelain has demonstrated potential anti-inflammatory properties, which could help reduce inflammation associated with conditions such as arthritis.
– Wound healing support: Bromelain may help reduce inflammation and promote wound healing.
– Immune system support: thanks to the vitamin C content, pineapple can help support the immune system and fight infections and diseases.
– Relieve cough: Some folk medicine traditions suggest the use of pineapple extracts to relieve cough and respiratory conditions.

Method of Preparation –
The Ananas bracteatus is used not only for food and ornamental purposes but also for other uses.
In food use, the fruit is less fleshy than Ananas comosus.
In the places of origin from the leaves particularly resistant fibers are obtained for ropes and fabrics.
Furthermore, due to the presence of bromelain, this plant, like the other better known species of pineapple, has found, as mentioned before, various uses and uses.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.

Attention: The pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not in any way represent a medical prescription; we therefore decline all responsibility for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.