Heliamphora nutans
Heliamphora nutans in Kew Gardens
Heliamphora nutans is a carnivorous plant species of the genus marsh pitchers ( Heliamphora ), it is known only from a few mesas in the triangle of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana.
Features
Heliamphora nutans is a herbaceous plant that is vase-shaped tubes up to a length of 10 to 30 cm. The opening of the tubes achieved a diameter of up to 7 cm. From the opening of a funnel-shaped part leads to a constriction at which the hose extended bulbous. It is usually colored yellow green and crossed by red veins. About the opening of the plant forms a small red, hat- or helmet- shaped lid.
The white or pale pink, bell-like flowers are arranged in approximately 80 centimeters high inflorescences.
Occurrence
Heliamphora nutans occurs on some tepuis in Venezuela's border with Guyana and Brazil, including Roraima Tepui, Yuarani - Tepui, Kukenan - Tepui, Tramen - tepui and Ilu - tepui.
Heliamphora nutans is found at altitudes of 1200-2810 meters. In the nutrient-poor plateau of the tepuis the plant large temperature variations between day and night is exposed. At night, the plateaus of Roraima Tepui cool despite the tropical climate zone from up to a few degrees Celsius. However, at night frost does not occur. Daytime temperatures of 15 to 25 degrees Celsius were measured.
The type depends on a lot of light and the heavy rains that provide the humidity here, but have contributed to the karstification of the rocky landscape. The lack of nutrients is balanced by the capturing of animals that fall into the hoses. These animals are not digested by the plant itself, but they are decomposed by bacteria. The nutrients are then absorbed by the plant ( Präkarnivorie ).
System
Heliamphora nutans is the type species of the genus Heliamphora, to 1931 she was also the only known species of the genus. It was first discovered in 1838 by Moritz Richard Schomburgk and Robert Hermann Schomburgk and described in 1840 by George Bentham. The specific epithet nutans (Latin for " nodding " ) refers to the nodding flowers.
History of Research
In 1885, Sir Everard Im Thurn succeeded in the first ascent of Roraima Tepui. He reported that Heliamphora nutans, which is to be found " pitcher plant of South America" , on the plateau of the 2810 meter high mountain. This is, apart from the possible case by case occurrence at higher elevations of the Pico da Neblina, the highest contiguous area of distribution of a marsh pitcher.
From Tramen - Tepui Heliamphora nutans and hybrids of Heliamphora ionasii are known.
1881 brought David Burke ( 1854-1897 ), who sought on behalf of Veitch and Sons in the then British Guiana for rare plants, Heliamphora nutans to England, where it was cultivated.
Gallery
Flowering Heliamphora nutans
Looking into the trap
Detail of the flower of Heliamphora nutans