Catopsis berteroniana /kəˈtɒpsɪs ˌbɜːrtəˌroʊniˈɑːnə/, commonly known as the powdery strap airplant or the lantern of the forest,[1] is an epiphytic bromeliad thought to be a possible carnivorous plant[citation needed], similar to Brocchinia reducta, although the evidence is equivocal.

[2] It generally grows on the unshaded twigs of trees, and has been shown experimentally to trap more insects in its tank than other bromeliads of comparable size.

[2][4] Rainwater falls and lands in the tubes, forming pools of water called phytotelmata, an aqueous medium filled with copious amounts of nutrients available for the plant to absorb.

[4] This medium is slightly acidic, but very close to neutral; according to algae in bromeliads, the pH of the phytotelmata of Catopsis berteroniana is 6.8.

[6] Other species of carnivorous plants, such as Cephalotus follicularis, use these glands to secrete enzymes to break down detritus and trap prey.

[2] In Everglades National Park in southern Florida, these plants were found at the apex of red mangroves and in areas of limited shade.

Metamasius callizona, a weevil, will feed on the meristematic tissue of the Catopsis species, which will inevitably kill the plant.

[5] It shapes the entire food web because algae make up 30% of the living carbon within the bromeliad tanks located in an area with a high amount of sunlight.