Catopsis
Catopsis berteroniana in the Sierra de Lema
The Catopsis are a genus of flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae ( Bromeliaceae ). The 18 to 21 species have distribution areas of Florida to eastern Brazil and the Caribbean islands. Some species are relatively rarely used as ornamental plants.
The main differences of Catopsis species to the other genera of the Tillandsioideae is that they have asymmetric sepals and different shaped seed appendages.
Description
Catopsis species grow as perennial herbaceous plants, mostly epiphytic or sometimes lithophytic. The leaves are borne in rosettes and form a leaf hopper. The simple green leaves are often frosted white and chalky.
On a more or less long inflorescence stem is a simple or compound inflorescence, usually with many flowers. The family for the relatively small and relatively inconspicuous flowers are more or less radial symmetry and threefold with a double perianth. Depending on the type, the flowers are hermaphrodite or unisexual as a special feature in the subfamily Tillandsioideae; when the flowers are unisexual then are the types dioecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( dioecious ). The three sepals ( sepals ) are asymmetric. There are two circles, each with three stamens present. The three free petals are relatively inconspicuous and yellow, white or greenish- white. Three carpels are fused into a superior ovaries.
Are formed capsule fruits. The seeds have at its upper end a crown of hair, which is highly folded in the capsule fruit.
Particularity
One of the ways - Catopsis berteroniana - differs from the species of the genus, as it is considered präkarnivor. This means that it has some traits of a carnivorous plant. The prey ( insects) drowns in the water-filled leaf hoppers, but there is no digestion with enzymes ( in contrast to the carnivorous plants ); the plant needs bacteria in the water tank to help.
System
The genus Catopsis in 1864 set up by August Grisebach in news of the royal Society of Sciences and of the Georg- Angusts - Universitat, 1864, 10, pp. 12 and separated from the genus Tillandsia. A synonym for Catopsis Griseb. is Pogospermum Brongn ..
There are 18 to 21 Catopsis types:
- Catopsis berteroniana ( Schultes f ) Mez ( syn.. Tillandsia pendula Thunb ex Gaertn f, f Tillandsia berteroniana Schult, Catopsis mosenii Mez. . ): It grows epiphytic in forests at altitudes 0-1200 meters in Florida, on the Greater Antilles, from Mexico to the Guyana and Brazil.
- Catopsis compacta Mez: It grows epiphytic in forests at altitudes 400-2065 m in Mexico.
- Catopsis delicatula LBSm. Thrives at altitudes of about 670 meters in Guatemala only in Retalhuleu.
- Catopsis floribunda LBSm. ( Syn: Catopsis montana LBSm. ): It grows epiphytic in forests at altitudes 0-1490 meters in Florida, on Caribbean islands and in Venezuela.
- Catopsis Hahnii Baker (syn.: Catopsis oerstediana Mez ): It grows in pine-oak forests, lower montane forests and rain forests at altitudes 400-2700 m from Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.
- Catopsis juncifolia Mez & Wercklé ( Syn: Catopsis lundelliana LBSm. ): It grows epiphytic in forests at altitudes from 150 to 700 meters in Central America.
- Catopsis micrantha LBSm. It occurs in Panama.
- Catopsis morreniana Mez ( Syn: Catopsis bakerii Mez, Catopsis brevifolia Mez & Wercklé, Catopsis paniculata hortus ex Gentil non E.Morren ): It grows epiphytic in forests at altitudes 20-1650 meters from Mexico to Central America.
- Catopsis nitida ( Hook. ) Griseb. ( Syn: . Tillandsia nitida Hook, Catopsis inconspicua ( Brongniart ) Baker, Baker Catopsis nutans non ( Swartz ) Griseb, Catopsis sessiliflora Broadway & LBSm non ( Ruiz & Pav ) Mez. . ): It grows epiphytic in forests at altitudes 300-1830 meters from Mexico to Central America and the Greater Antilles.
- Catopsis nutans ( Swartz ) Griseb. There are two varieties: Catopsis nutans ( Swartz ) Griseb. nutans var: It grows in thickets or epiphytic in open forests at altitudes 25-1550 meters in Florida, in the Greater Antilles and Mexico to Venezuela and Ecuador.
- Catopsis nutans var robustior LBSm. Epiphytic It thrives at altitudes from 1400 to 1500 meters in Guatemala.