Named in honour of M. Quesnel, French Consul at Cayenne, French Guiana (Guyana) who introduced a plant of this genus into cultivation.

Leaves few or many, blades ligulate with spines. Inflorescence mainly simple; floral bracts usually showy; sepals usually asymmetric; petals free, regular, with two scales near base; stamens included.

There are two main groups: Group 1 - like Billbergia but with regular flowers, a group containing about 15 species; inflorescence simple, like a pine cone or ellipsoid or cylindrical; Group 2 - a small group with Q. quesneliana the most common.

Leaves forming a tubular rosette, linear, minutely toothed; corolla radially symmetric; petals more or less erect; ovary inferior.

15 species from eastern Brazil.

Source: Christensen, T.; Butcher, D. (2005). Bromeliaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.