A new bromeliad species from the Andes of south-eastern Peru, found in Manu National Park, has been described by science. Named Puya ukumari, it can grow up to two metres tall and stands out for petals of a blue so dark they look almost black.
The name means “bear” in Quechua and honours the Andean bear, because of the ecological link between these animals and bromeliads. The plant lives in the Kosñipata and Mapacho valleys in Cusco, between 2,300 and 3,300 metres above sea level, and has been recorded at five sites.
The discovery came from long-term ecological monitoring at the Wayqecha Biological Station of Conservación Amazónica (ACCA). The study was published on 15 October in the journal PhytoKeys and proposes classifying the species as Endangered to strengthen its protection.
