| |
This is Heliamphora nutans, the rarest of all my
carnivorous plants. Heliamphora is endemic to the Tepuis
of Venezuela, where they have evolved into several
different species. It is commonly known as the Sun
Pitcher Plant and Marsh Pitcher. They belong to the same
plant family as Sarracenia, but have a much more
primitive appearance.
The Tepuis are the remnants of a sandstone shield laid
down 1.6 billion years ago. Although only about five
degrees north of the Equator, the altitude of Mount
Roraimae at 2,772 meters creates a climate vastly
different than the rainforest below. The tops of the
tepuis are open marshy savannahs. Altitude keeps
temperatures cool. Rain, fogs, and thunderstorms
frequently shroud the summits. The sand-based soils are
nutrient-poor. Heliamphoras are uniquely adapted to this
sodden environment.
The traps of Heliamphora are little more than leaves
which have been curled around to form a funnel of
handsome apple-coloured pitchers. The pitchers arise from
a brittle rhizome and slowly form clumps over time. It
has pitchers 10-15 cm long by 2-3 cm in diameter. At the
front of the pitcher is a slit about one quarter of the
way down, which allows excess rain waters to drain.
Insects are attracted to the pitchers by the nectar bell,
a small red protrusion at the top of the back of the
pitcher. The bell has a very slippery inner surface. At
this point there is a good probability that the insect
will slide down the surface of the bell, and if it doesn't
quickly fly out of danger, falls into the water. The
Heliamphora pitchers don't have digestive glands, this
process is provided by bacterial action, and the pitchers
are able to absorb the results.
Hardiness zone 11, (4ºF/40ºF) in Winter. Requires day
temperatures of 10ºC-32ºC and night temperatures to
drop to 18ºC or less. Despite being from the tropics,
the Tepuis are relatively cool. In cultivation
Heliamphora needs very bright light, under lower light
levels the pitcher shape would change and also the
colouration would be much less; relativly high humidity
above 50%, well drained but always moist soil, warm days
and cold nights year around. The collector must be able
to provide cool, misty, very humid and damp conditions
for the plants to grow adequately. The soil should be a
mix of peat moss and sand. There is no dormancy.
|
|
