The authors provide a new circumscription for genera of the “Cryptanthoid complex” of Bromeliaceae subfam. Bromelioideae, originally composed of Cryptanthus, Lapanthus, Orthophytum, and Sincoraea, on the basis of new or re-evaluated ecological, geographical and morphological evidence, as well as molecular phylogenies. A new generic status is proposed for Cryptanthus subg. Hoplocryptanthus and two new genera, Forzzaea, and Rokautskyia, as well as four new subgenera in Orthophytum (Capixabanthus, Clavanthus, Krenakanthus, and Orthocryptanthus) are described to render taxonomic units monophyletic. The recognized taxa are well circumscribed by the combination of geographical range, ecology and morphological characters (sex distribution, leaf succulence, sepal and petal size and connation, petal appendages, pollen and stigma morphology, fruit size, calyx persistency, seed size and number per fruit). Field collected living specimens of 78 of the 81 species of Cryptanthus s.l., all species of Lapanthus, 58 of the 59 species of Orthophytum, and all species of Sincoraea were analysed in habitat and/or in cultivation, allowing the documentation and illustration of new and underutilized characters. The molecular analysis incorporated 91 accessions representing 33 species of Cryptanthus, all species (3) of Lapanthus, 42 species of Orthophytum, and 9 species of Sincoraea, including the type species for the first three genera and four outgroup taxa. The results suggest, that some morphological characters generally considered homoplasious for Bromelioideae, for the “Cryptanthoid complex”, are not homoplasious at least within the obtained, biogeographycally well delimited clades and their taxonomical utility is redeemed.

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Generic status for the Amazonian Hylaeaicum is proposed within the Aechmea alliance, excluding it from the “Nidularioid complex” in general and from Neoregelia in particular. The monophyly of this new genus is supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses. The taxonomic circumscription of Hylaeaicum is based on the combination of geographical range and morphological characters, such as clonal growth, inflorescence structure, petal and corolla conformation, petal appendages, ovary, ovule, stigma, pollen, fruit, and seed, as well as seed anatomy, thoroughly documented and illustrated from field-collected specimens that flowered in cultivation in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, and in Refúgio dos Gravatás. The presence of seeds with long bicaudate appendages on both chalazal and micropylar ends is reported for the first time in Bromelioideae and considered an important character to distinguish Hylaeaicum from the related genera in the Aechmea alliance. In order to support the morphological distinctness of Hylaeaicum, the most varied and complete documentation of stigmata, fruits, and seeds of Bromelioideae is also presented for the first time, covering 24 genera and 17 subgenera. Fourteen new combinations, including 12 species and two varieties, are proposed.