Pinguicula hemiepiphytica

Pinguicula hemiepiphytica

TAXONOMY:

Family : Lentibulariaceae

Genus : Pinguicula

Name : Pinguicula hemiepiphytica

Sub-classification (Casper) : link

Publication : Acta Botanica Mexicana (1991), 14 : 23 - 32

By Sergio Zamudio and Jerzy Rzedowski,

"Dos Especies nuevas de Pinguicula (Lentibulariaceae) del estado de Oaxaca, Mexico".

DESCRIPTION : (by Sergio Zamudio and Jerzy Rzedowski)

Herba perennis, epipetrica vel epiphytica. Folia radicalia dimorpha; "aestivalia" 4 - 12, subpetiolata, laminae ellipticae usque ad circulares, margine leviter involutae, (20) 30 - 70 mm longae, (12) 20 -55 mm latae, petioli 3 -15 mm longi; "hiemalia" numerosa, spathulata usque ad obloanceolata, ciliata, 10 - 20 mm lona, 1 - 6 mm lata. Pedunculi 1 - 3 erecti, villosi. Flores 35 - 80 mm longi (calcare incluso); calyx bilabiatus, lobis oblongis, 3 - 6 mm longis, 1.2 - 3.5 mm latis; corolla bilabiata, violaceo-purpurea vel punicea, fauce alba, labium superum bilobatum, lobis obovato-cuneatis usque ad oblongis, apice rotundatis vel truncatis, 10 - 19 mm longis, 7 - 15 mm latis, labium inferum trilobatum, lobis obovato-cuneatis usque ad oblongis, lateralibus apice rotundatis vel truncatis, 8 - 21 mm longus, 6 - 17 mm latis, lobus medius lateralibus major, apice emarginatus, 12.5 - 22 mm longus, 9.5 - 22 mm latus; tubus infundibuliformis, 10 - 26 mm longus, 4 - 7 mm latus, intus dense pubescens, pilis cylindrico-subulatis, multicellularibus, retrorsis, palatum nullum, calcar cylindrico-subulatum, rectum vel recurvatum, 12 - 30 mm longum. Capsula subglobosa, 4 - 6 mm diametro. Semina numerosa, fusiformia, superficie reticulata, spiculata.

translation :

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ORIGIN AND HISTORY :

This plant was collected under the name Pinguicula moranensis but the authors found that many features on the herbarium specimens (the size of the flower) and the habit of the plant to grow as an epiphyte needed further investigations. The study of the herbarium specimens showed significant differences compared to Pinguicula moranensis and the observations in the field confirmed that it was a new species not yet described.

Localisation / Map:

Pinguicula hemiepiphytica comes from Mexico, state of Oaxaca, at 58 km north of Ixtlan, along the road above Valle Nacional, on steep mossy banks, under bosque mesofilo de montana (see picture below), at an altitude of 2200m.

(click on the map for better location and relief map)

The authors indicate many others locations in their publication. For the moment, Pinguicula hemiepiphytica is only known from the northern slopes of Sierra de Juarez, in Oaxaca. The authors have the feeling that this species may exists also in the neighbouring states.

In north-eastern Oaxaca between Tuxtepec and Ixtlán de Juárez, the Sierra de Juárez is separated from the Sierra de Zongólica to its north by the Santo Domingo River with Tecomavaca Canyon, and extends south-eastward to the Cajones River and Sierra de Villa Alta, which connects to the Sierra de Los Mixes (Paray 1951; Lorence and García-Mendoza 1989). These mountain chains are part of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca in the Oaxaca-Puebla Uplands subprovince of the Sierra Madre del Sur morphotectonic province (cf. Ferrusquía-Villafranca 1993).

North of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt is the Sierra Madre Oriental, and just south of the belt begins the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca. Mountains thus front the Gulf of Mexico lowlands from the belt's Pico de Orizaba (Veracruz) to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, where they meet the Sierra Madre del Sur.

The region is characterized by large deep ravines (barrancas). The Sierra de Juárez geological subprovince is composed of folded sedimentary rocks with series of younger granitic intrusions dating from the Palaeozoic to Cenozoic, with the majority being Mesozoic, but the region is complex and not well known (Lorence and García-Mendoza 1989; Ferrusquía-Villafranca 1993). Various watercourses (e.g. the Valle Nacional River) have their origin in the Sierra de Juárez and eventually form the Papaloapan River which empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

THREATS :

The flora is threatened by logging (for wood, pulp and cellulose), agriculture and grazing (crops, cattle and sheep), colonization, commercial collecting of those species with ornamental value, and potentially threatened by hydroelectric dams. Over one third of the Pinus forest of the Sierra Norte may have been destroyed from 1956-1981, with much of the remainder being degraded.

HABITAT:

This species have been so often collected as an epiphyte that we have forgotten that it also grows on rocks and slopes in very wet places associated with colonies of mosses. Altitude is from 1900 to 2300m. For Pinguicula moranensis, the altitude is 1150 to 2820m.

The Sierra de Juárez has a great variety of habitats due to variations in topography, altitude, geological substrates and climate. These environmental characteristics determine a mosaic of formations and communities that always include some evergreen vegetation. Although there are many factors that affect seasonality within these vegetation types, humidity seems to limit distribution in the mountain areas in comparison to the vegetation that extends to the lower, warmer areas (Lorence and García-Mendoza 1989).

Five general formations are distinguished in the Sierra de Juárez, of which broadleaf montane cloud forest is predominant (while extensive on these mountains, it covers less than 1% of Mexico):

1. Tropical evergreen forest (800-1000 m) is dominated by evergreen trees 30-40 m tall. There are abundant lianas and epiphytes of tropical affinity. The characteristic or dominant trees are Acosmium panamense, Andira sp., Brosimum alicastrum var. alicastrum, Calophyllum brasiliense var. rekoi, Dialium guianense, Dussia mexicana, Ormosia isthmensis and Robinsonella sp. (cf. Wendt 1993).

2. Montane cloud forest (bosque mesófilo de montaña – Rzedowski 1978) forms a band between (1000-) 1400-2250 m along the northern and eastern slopes of the Sierra de Juárez and Sierra de Los Mixes. The climate is cool (20°-14°C) and humid, with a mean annual precipitation exceeding 2000 mm and probably reaching 6000 mm in places (e.g. at Vista Hermosa) (Rzedowski and Palacios- Chávez 1977). Dominant trees average 20-30 m tall. Evergreen and deciduous species bearing many epiphytes occur together with palms, tree ferns, Ericaceae shrubs, vines, and moisture-loving herbs (Paray 1951, Lorence and García-Mendoza 1989; Martin and de Avila-B. 1990).

Floristically this formation is a mixture of both neotropical and holarctic elements, including affinities with South America and Asia. Rzedowski and Palacios-Chávez (1977) studied a community at Vista Hermosa, where they reported Oreomunnea mexicana, Weinmannia pinnata and Liquidambar styraciflua to be dominant. Additional characteristic species were Magnolia schiedeana, Brunellia mexicana, Nyssa sylvatica and species of Alnus, Carpinus, Cedrela, Clethra, Ilex, Ocotea, Phoebe and Podocarpus. This vegetation type in the region remains little known.

3. Pine forest, on basaltic substrate at 1600-2600 m. The evergreen trees are 25-40 m tall. Dominant are Pinus ayacahuite, P. cornuta, P. lawsonii, P. chiapensis, P. devoniana (P. michoacana) and P. pseudostrobus var. oaxacana. Grasses dominate the lower stratum.

4. Pine-oak forest (2000-2800 m). Predominant are Pinus rudis, P. devoniana (P. michoacana), P. lawsonii and P. montezumae together with Quercus laurina and Q. rugosa. Some individuals of the rare Abies guatemalensis and also A. oaxacana are associated with the Pinus, mainly in ravines and above 2700 m. Plecosorus speciosissimus and Dryopteris wallichiana are exceptional among the terrestrial ferns (at 2800 m) (Riba 1993).

5. Oak forest (2000-2500 m). Precipitation is relatively low, with a summer dry season. The dominants are Quercus crassifolia, Q. castanea, Q. crassipes, Q. rugosa and Q. laurina. This formation occurs westward (inland) to the Grande River Basin, where it changes to matorral and/or low forest.

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TEMPERATURE and PRECIPITATIONS :

Click on the graph to enlarge and see the graph of normal precipitation and normal average temperatures. Normal values are 30-year averages for the period 1961 to 1990. The weather stations are grouped by region (see map of weather stations).

The climate from Sierra Juarez ranges from subtropical to mostly temperate and subhumid - above 1000 m. The average temperature varies between 16°-20°C, with regular frost in the high mountains. Average annual precipitation varies locally from 700 mm to 2000-4000 mm or more, often as moisture removed from trade winds coming off the Caribbean Sea - which in some years reach gale force.

Introduction in culture :

No data. I bought my first plant in 1997.

CULTURE AND MULTIPLICATION :

(North hemisphere, France near Paris, in a polycarbonate greenhouse - see the map -)

Life cycle : The life cycle observed in culture for this Pinguicula consists of two seasons, one wet and the other dry (see link). The plant forms different leaf rosettes according to the season. During the resting months (winter) the small succulent rosette is composed of numerous non-carnivorous leaves. The carnivorous leaves are produced in spring and during all summer. The flowering occurs from summer rosette. The life cycle of the plant is probably similar in it's native habitat but I have no data.

Media : As this plant is known to be epiphyte, I use the following media : 2 pouzzolane (volcanic lava) mixed with 1 live sphagnum moss. The plants can grow also on my basic media : 2 perlite, 2 vermiculite, 1 small sand (for aquarium), 1 fine white sand, 1 pouzzolane (volcanic lava), 1 aqualit (expansed ceramic for aquarium). The aqualit can be replaced by 1 of pouzzolane. Nevertheless, the plants in the first media are better than those in the second one. Don't use sphagnum moss with basic media. This will lead to the lost of your plant by rotting of the sphagnum.

Pot : plastic, colour terracotta, diameter 12.5cm, height 12cm.

Cultivation :I think that a slightly airy situation inside the greenhouse is important to avoid air stagnation. For this reason, I use a fan 24h/24h all the year round.

Watering is very important : from May to September (summer). I let the media drying slightly between two watering. I use rain water poured on the top of the pot taking care not to wet the rosette. From October to April, It is important to let the media drying completely (no watering) but with an atmospheric humidity of about 80%.

The mentioned months are indicative and can change according to your own growing conditions. In fact, when this Pinguicula begins to produce its non-carnivorous leaves, you have to stop watering and let the pot drying out completely. Inversely, when the plant begins to produce in early spring its carnivorous leaves, you have to progressively start watering again the pot.

Temperatures : during growth period, day temperatures are about 25°C but can reach 35°C when the sun is shining on the greenhouse in spite of the use of shading covers. Night temperatures are around 20°C. During resting period : day/night over freezing point. Lower temperature observed : - 4°C. I use an electronic petroleum heater to provide heat.

Flowering period : April 97.

Multiplication : I have never succeed in pollinating the flowers of this Pinguicula (needs two different clones ?) . So I don't know the seeds. The plants can be propagated easily using non-carnivorous leaves separated from the rosette at end of winter. You only have to carefully tear out the totality of the leaf including the white base as the plantlets will sprout from this area.

Speaking about this problem of pollinating the flowers, Phil Faulisi sent me a very interested note : "During the winter, I get my best flower production. Even though temperatures in the greenhouse can get quite cold the plants seem to lavish in it. Flowers produced during this colder period are much larger and more colorful than during summer heat. I have never got seed during summer flowering, but always get seed during the winter. The flowers are ready to be pollinated when they begin releasing pollen grains at the opening of the column. I use a toothpick inserted and pushed gently in and out. At this moment I have 6 seed pods forming on my mother plant. Maybe seasonal temps have something to do with it. I live in north central California in the San Jose area. I hope my experience can give you some insight."

PICTURES: (click to enlarge)

Pinguicula hemiepiphytica

Photo : Eric Partrat

- April 1997 -

Pinguicula hemiepiphytica, close-up of the flower.

Photo : Eric Partrat

- April 1997 -

Pinguicula hemiepiphytica, close-up of the flower, note the funnelform of the corolla-tube.

Photo : Eric Partrat

- April 1997 -

Pinguicula hemiepiphytica, close-up of winter rosette.

Photo : Stephane Joly

Cluster of Pinguicula hemiepiphytica in culture.

Photo : Eric Partrat

- June 2003 -

Pinguicula hemiepiphytica in habitat in Sierra de Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico

By Oliver Gluch

www.gluch.info

This species was located so far only in the Sierra de Juárez. The prevailing vegetation is an evergreen mountain wet forest with different kinds of oak as well as Engelhardtia mexicana. The plants grow either on lime rock, often together with mooses, or on trunks covered by mosses. This very damp conditions is a paradise for Orchids, Bromeliads and Tillandsias.