A 100‐Million‐Year Gap in the Knowledge of the Evolutionary History of Bromeliaceae: A Brief Review of Fossil Records

Bromeliaceae arose in the Early Cretaceous, diverging from Typhaceae at ca. 125 Ma. After an apparent evolutionary stasis of 100 million years, they have undergone a high diversification starting Miocene. By adding fossils to phylogenies, one can infer dates arising and divergence lineages link them geological climatic events. The use reliable fossils, therefore, greatly impact results interpretation bromeliads evolution. Here, we present literature review assigned discuss gap knowledge these plants’ history light poor fossil record. Our survey shows that Karatophyllum bromelioides, Pleistocene, is only among few group. Protananaceae has been proposed since 2005 as sister group Bromeliaceae; however, no work corroborated this placement so far. lack information records contributes unsolved questions between rise bromeliads. These aspects influence molecular clock calibration consequently phylogenetic biogeographical inferences, requiring alternative calibration. Additional findings may improve our by revealing new macro/microfossils for Bromeliaceae.