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Family Bromeliaceae
Curaua
Ananas lucidus Mill.

CURAUA PLANT

Scientific names Common names
Ananas bracamorensis (Linden) Antoine Curaua (Tag.)
Ananas comosus var. erectifolius (L.B.Sm.) Coppens & F. Leal Dwarf pineapple (Engl.)
Ananas comosus f. lucidus (Mill.) Mez Wild ananas (Engl.)
Ananas erectifolius L.B.Sm.  
Ananas glaber Mill.  
Ananas lucidus Mill.  
Ananas mordilona (Linden) E.Morren  
Ananas proliferus Baker  
Ananas sativus var. lucidus (Mill.) Baker  
Ananas semiserratus (Willd.) Schut. & Schult.f.  
Ananassa bracamorensis Linden  
Ananassa lucida (Mill.) Lindl.  
Ananassa mordilona Linden  
Ananassa semiserrata (Willd.) Dietr.  
Bromelia ananas var. inermis Pers.  
Bromelia ananas var. king-pineapple Aiton  
Bromelia glabra (Mill.) Schult & Schult.f  
Bromelia inermis Steud.  
Bromelia lucida (Mill.) Willd.  
Bromelia semiserrata Willd.  
Bromelia subspinosa J.C.Wendl. ex Schult. & Schult.f.  
Ananas erectifolius L.B.Sm. is a synonym of Ananas lucidus Mill. The Plant List
Ananas lucidus Mill. is an accepted name. The Plant List

Other vernacular names
PORTUGUESE: Abacaxi de salao, Abacaxi ornamental, Kulaiwat.
SPANISH : Curagua, Curana, Curaua, Curaua de Amazonnia, Piña ornamental, Pitte.

General info
- Curaua is a giant bromelia native to the Amazonia and belonging to the pineapple plant family.
- Etymology: Ananas lucidus derives from "nanas", which in Guarani means flower, scent; the species name if from the Latin "lucidus" meaning bright or shining, referring to the glossy upper side of the leaves. (6)

Botany
Curaua is a rosette-forming herbaceous evergreen plant. bearing fruit only once during its existence (monocarpic), acaulescent, terrestrial, formed by a thick rosette of lanceolate leaves, broad up to 60 cm in diameter. Leaves are narrow, elongate, up to 40 cm long and 4 cm wide, rigid and ascending, the apices furnished with a robust thorn and the margins unarmed, glossy green color on the upper side and gray green below due to small silvery scales. Inflorescence at center of the rosette is formed by a floral scape, up to 80 cm long, green, covered by a thin, whitish tomentum, with lanceolate, sharp bracts. Scape ends in an inflorescence formed by 4 cm long spike of hermaphrodite flowers surrounded by pink bracts. Flowers have fleshy green sepals, with reddish edges and petals, 15 mm long and 3 mm wide, white-colored at the base and violet-blute at the apex. Fruit. which lasts on the plant for a long time, is a syncarp (aggregate fruit), 5 cm diameters and 6-8 cm height, pink yellow to pale red, very fibrous and inedible, usually containing a few seeds, sometimes none. (6)

Distribution
- Recently introduced to the Philippines.
- Ornamental cultivation.

Constituents
- The curaua fibers showed a lignin composition of p-hydroxyphenyl:gualacul:syringyl units in 30:29:41 proportion. Pyrolysis revealed the presence of p-hydroxycinnamic acids (p-coumaric and ferulic acids) in curaua fibers. The main lipophilic compounds were long-chain n-fatty acids, n-fatty alcohols, alpha- and omega-hydroxyacids, monoglycerides, sterols and waxes. (2)

Properties
• The dry curaua fiber is soft to the touch with a very high mechanical resistance capable to producing high tensions, making it a natural substitute for glass fiber.

Parts utilized
Leaves.

Uses
Edibility
- Fruit reportedly inedible, being very fibrous.
Folkloric
- No known folkloric use in the Philippines.
- In the Amazonia, the medicinal plant is traditionally used to heal wounds.
Other uses
- Fiber: Cultivated for the fibers from the leaves that are particularly flexible, resistant, long lasting. Utilized fro fabrication of ropes, tissues, and handicrafts. (6)
- Automobile industry: Largely used in the automotive industry due to its biodegradability, resistance, softness, and reduced weight, with potential to replace fiberglass. (5) (6)
- Also being tested for making hypoallergenic fabrics.

- Paper and chemical pulps: Curaua fiber has been promoted for paper pulp in Brazil and investigated as alternative lignocellulosic material for production of chemical pulps. (8) The curaua fiber is characterized by high holocellulose and a-cellulose contents (92.5 and 66.4, respectively) and a low lignin content (6.5% of total fiber weight) which would make the fiber suitable for papermaking. (2)

Studies
Antimicrobial: Microbiological assays from hydroxyalcoholic extract from the leaves have shown anti-microbial activity of the plant toward Staphylococcus aureus.
Hypoallergenic Material: With high resistance, low density and recyclability, fibers of the curaua plant are being tested as replacement for fiberglass to reinforce plastic materials in moulded car parts and for making hypoallergenic fabrics.
Composite Fiber Material: Study evaluated the behavior of composite materials with fiber of curaua in matrix of epoxy resin in different corrosive media such as oil, petroleum and water. The fiber of Amazonian origin presents good potential in measures of properties, low cost, and low density. (7)

Availability
Cultivated.

Updated December 2020 / November 2014

                                                         PHOTOS / ILLUSTRATIONS
 

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
(CURAUÁ): PADRONIZAÇÃO DOS EXTRATOS, FRAÇÕES E DO MATERIAL VEGETAL

(2)

Chemical Characterization Of Lignin And Lipophilic Fractions From Leaf Fibers Of Curaua (Ananas Erectifolius). / Gisela Marques , Ana Gutiérrez , and José C. del Río * / J. Agric. Food Chem., 2007, 55 (4): pp 1327–1336 / DOI: 10.1021/jf062677x
(3)

Hypoallergenic materials.(Fabrics)
(4)

A fiber for all handiwork

(5)
PRODUCTION OF CURAUÁ (ANANAS ERECTIFOLIUS L.B. SMITH) FIBERS FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS: CHARACTERIZATION AND MICROPROPAGATION / A.L. Leão, I.S. Machado, S.F. de Souza, L. Soriano / ISHS
(6)
Ananas lucidus / Pietro Puccio / Monaco Nature Encyclopedia
(7)
Evaluation of composite materials with fiber of curaua pineapple (Ananas erectifolius) / Pino G G del, Diaz F V, Valin Rivera J L, Kieling A C, Torres A R / Review of Research Journal, 2015; 4(5) / ISSN: 2249-894X

                                                                          DOI
It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page. (Citing and Using a (DOI) Digital Object Identifier)

                                                            List of Understudied Philippine Medicinal Plants

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