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Inside the Bromeliad Tank

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The latest cover of our member magazine, Tropical Dispatch, was created by Olivia Marie Braida-Chiusano, founder of the Academy of Botanical Art at Selby Gardens.

This piece is currently on display in the Payne Mansion as part of our exhibit, Selby’s Secret Garden.

Ms. Braida – a nationally-recognized artist whose works can be found in many private and public collections – has masterfully demonstrated the contents of a Brazilian bromeliad of the genus Neoregelia. The drawing showcases the unique shape of the plant that allows it to catch rainwater, providing a unique habitat for many and varied organisms. Through her masterful work, Ms. Braida depicts the secret life that dwells within these plants.

About the 15 Inhabitants

  1. Psecas sumptuosus – Jumping Spider
  2. Culex pilosus – Mosquito Larvae
  3. Macronema hageni – Net-Spinning Caddisfly 
  4. Odontomachus haematodus – Trap Jaw Ant
  5. Mescistocephalus guildingii – Centipede 
  6. Cordylochernes scorpioides – Pseudoscorpion 
  7. Dichogaster saliens – Worm
  8. Atlantoscia floridana – Isopod 
  9. Hormetica laevigata – Cockroach 
  10. Happiella insularis – Snail 
  11. Anabaena oumiana – Blue-Green Algae
  12. Lachnodacnum luederwaldti – Beetle
  13. Leptagrion macrurum – Narrow-Winged Damselfly 
  14. Aparasphenodon brunoi – Bruno’s Casque-Headed Frog (venomous!)
  15. Sesarma angustipes – Crapsid Crab