Ochagavia

Ochagavia
Ochagavia carnea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Bromeliaceae
Subfamily: Bromelioideae
Genus: Ochagavia
Phil.
Synonyms
  • Rhodostachys Phil.
  • Placseptalia Espinosa
  • Ruckia Regel

Ochagavia is a plant genus in the plant family Bromeliaceae, subfamily Bromelioideae, endemic to central and southern Chile. It comprises four recognized species—Ochagavia andina, Ochagavia carnea, Ochagavia elegans, and Ochagavia litoralis—which inhabit a range of environments from coastal cliffs to montane forests. Species of Ochagavia are caulescent and rosette-forming, with succulent, spiny leaves and simple terminal inflorescences bearing rose-colored flowers. The group exhibits adaptations to xeric habitats, and one species, Ochagavia elegans, is endemic to Robinson Crusoe Island in the Juan Fernández Islands. The genus is named after Silvestre Ochagavía, a Chilean lawyer and minister of education from the 19th century.