THE FLAMING TORCH – Bromeliad

A stunning sight to behold are these rossettes or flowers of the Billbergia pyramidalis, currently blooming in IISc’s Horticultural Nursery and Garden.

Background info:

Billbergia pyramidalis, commonly known as the Flaming torch, is a species of bromeliad that is native to Brazil, Venezuela, French Guiana, the Lesser Antilles and Cuba. The flowers (inflorescence) are orangey-pink in color, with purple highlights, hence the name Flaming Torch.

Billbergia’s are named after Gustaf Johan Billberg (1722-1844), a Swedish botanist, zoologist and anatomist. Professionally and by training he was a lawyer, science and biology were his hobbies; pyramidalis means, ‘like a pyramid’.

Photos by

Ahuja

Jan 19th 2018.