Ananas comosus

Ananas comosus (L.) Merr., (= Ananas sativa Schult.), pineapple, Bromeliaceae, is a native of South America, now widely cultivated in most tropical parts of the world. Pineapple is one of the very favourite fruits throughout the world, consumed raw, as juice, jams and jellies and in desserts. Pineapple supports a vast canning industry.

The fruit is rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C. It is an antibacterial, diuretic and anti-scorbutic. Fresh ripe fruit juice contains the enzyme bromelin that aids in digestion and is antibacterial and anthelminthic. The juice of the leaves and unripe fruit is abortifacient and purgative. Leaf juice also is anthelminthic.

The fruit of pineapple is a compound fruit called sorosis, formed of a 100 to 200 coalescing small fruits that develop from the numerous flowers of an inflorescence. The photograph, Ananas comosus1, shows very young fruits prior to such coalescence. Still several flowers with reddish floral parts can be seen in the apical region, while in the lower part they are dried out, following pollination.

Waste fruit is used to make vinegar. The fibre from the leaves is used in making cloth and cordage. The varieties with variegated leaves are grown as ornamentals