How are the colorful structures of bromeliads different from their flowers?

In bromeliads, the colorful structures often mistaken for flowers are actually bracts, which are modified, leaflike structures positioned beneath the true flowers or the inflorescence (the structure that bears the flowers).12

While the actual flowers of a bromeliad are typically small and possess three parts with distinct sepals and petals, the bracts are often large, showy, and brightly colored. These bracts serve to support and often surround the flowering portion of the plant. In many species, these colorful bracts are arranged in long, distinctive spikes, providing the visual appeal for which many bromeliads are cultivated as ornamentals.23