Fernando Rivadavia Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Hello everyone, Laurent T. pointed out to me that there weren't many pics available of H.macdonaldae out there, so I decided to post some here and ended up expanding it to show plants found on 3 different mountains in S Venezuela in 2004. On Bob Ziemer's CP Photo Finder I only found 2 links (which didn't open) to H.tatei var.macdonaldae. Although considered a variety of H.tatei for a few decades now, it was clear to us all once we saw it on Duida that this was a completly different plant, maybe more closely related to some of the eastern species. At ~2100m altitude on the S tip of Duida we found a patch of open vegetation on boggy soil, where H.macdonaldae grew. Notice the short pitchers and the beautiful red veins: They grew intermingled with H.tatei, which at this site hadghostly-creamy colored young pitchers: Notice how the H.tatei had larger pitchers with wider mouths. They also formed erect stems: Among these 2 species, we also found some hybrids, which did not form erect stems, but had wide mouths (like H.tatei) beautifully colored (like H.macdonaldae): There were some nice D.roraimae: I see in my notes that we also found U.amethystina and G.roraimensis on Duida. I imagine we must've seen U.humboldtii too, since it's a weed on every mountain in that whole area! :) Here's a view of Duida seen from Esmeralda in the S: A little over 200km S of Duida are Cerro Aracamuni and Cerro Avispa. We explored the wide plateaus of Aracamuni at ~1300-1400m altitude as well as 2 spots on Avispa (~860m and ~1330m). These were patches of thick, but low, vegetation with tons of Brocchinia ssp.. These open areas were surrounded by patches of short, dense forests, as seen in this aerial view of Avispa: It was also very wet and muddy on these mountains, as seen in this shot I took of Stewart's feet from my tent: At the higher elevations H.tatei was a weed among the bromeliads, Stegolepis, & other short vegetation, as seen in this pic of me lying among them on Avispa: The pitchers were huge, up to 60cm in length -- which is possibly a new record for pitcher length in this genus. Here's a large one on Avispa: Some flowers on Avispa: At the lower site on Avispa (860m) we only found a few patches of H.tatei which didn't look as large & as healthy -- not surprising since this was possibly the lowest site where Heliamphora were ever observed: The distribution of hairs inside the pitchers was variable, sometimes covering (or not) the area over the red stripe at the back: At the higher elevations we saw lots of D.roraimae: Some U.alpina growing epiphytically on bushes: Tons of U.humboldtii (mostly in bromeliads, but sometimes on the ground and even inside H.tatei pitchers): As well as G.repens, U.amethystina, U.subulata, U.neottioides, U.nana, U.campbelliana, and U.pubescens (the latter 4 only on Aracamuni). At the lower elevation site on Avispa we only saw H.tatei, U.humboldtii, and the pretty D.esmeraldae: Enjoy, Fernando Rivadavia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurent T Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Hi Fernando, Thanks for posting these amazing photos! I really love the nice colour of H. macdonaldae, It is my favourite Heliamphora species. Some very beautiful H. tatei plants too! I love those with hadghostly-cream colour, very nice! A nice hybrid too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Green Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Wonderful pic's. Always good to see Heli's in the wild. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Hingst Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Very nice - I wonder what else is still dozing in our archive ... thanks for your work Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kisscool_38 Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Wow! Pics of Heliamphora macdonaldae in the wild. Thanks for sharing Fernando Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimscott Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Love the sundews! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Rivadavia Posted June 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Hey Martin, I've still got lots of interesting pics in my "X-Files", hahaha! :) But so do many of your German colleagues, I'm sure... ;) Take care, Fernando Rivadavia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrAlmond Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Oh my god!!!! I've never seen such wonderful pictures of these incredible plants!!! Great report Fernando!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurent T Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Hey Martin,I've still got lots of interesting pics in my "X-Files", hahaha! :) But so do many of your German colleagues, I'm sure... ;) Take care, Fernando Rivadavia If you still have some pics of your expeditions, please post them because it is always good to see Heliamphora in habitat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel O. Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 (edited) Hi Fernando, thanks for sharing these pictures. H. macdonaldae is really a beauty with these beautiful red veins: , it´s also my favorite species. I like the hybrid between H. macdonaldae and H. tatei too and of course the very nicely coloured Drosera. I´m wondering a little bit about the colour of the U. alpina flower. It seems to be slightly violett, or does it only looks like this, or am i getting too old ? If it´s really slightly violett perhaps it could be a hybrid with U. humboldtii. I´ve nothing against more pictures and reports too. Best regards, Dani Edited June 16, 2008 by Daniel O. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Rivadavia Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hi guys, Laurent: it's not just "some" pics. It's a boat load of them, hahaha! To upload everything would be one heck of a daunting task, I'll do it little by little when I find time. Dani: the alpina truly had some coloring to it, but it was not intermediate in shape with anything else, so it was probably just variation. Best Wishes, Fernando Rivadavia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Moller Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Wow! Those are some amazing photo's. Thank you so much for sharing them with us I agree with all the other replies, H.macdonaldae is truly beautiful. I just hope one day it will be in cultivation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel O. Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Hi Fernando, ah, OK, than it´s a very nice variation. Best regards, Dani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff 1 Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Bonjour FERNANDO great report I see here the environment very beautiful this macdonaldae . for this pseudo tatei on avispa and aracamuni GLEASON Iin 1931 speak to H.tyleri , do you know why this name is not valid ? jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Rivadavia Posted February 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Hello Jeff, As far as I know H.tyleri was published based on plants from Duida, but I don't remember what the supposed differences are. Take care, Fernando Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff 1 Posted February 8, 2009 Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 (edited) hello FERNANDO the lid form , the stem less erect than tatei and this red stripe like your picture , no ? for macdonaldae you have not find some specimen with pure red interior ? no "macro" picture from the rim leaves openning ? nevertheless on your 2nd picture we see a little this eyelash on the rim very great report jeff Edited February 8, 2009 by jeff 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Rivadavia Posted February 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 Hello Jeff, Better to ask Andreas Fleischmann for the taxonomy and Stewart McPherson for the detailed pictures of these Heliamphora (he was there with me). Unfortunately I couldn't walk very far in that swamp on Duida and enjoy these beautiful Helis because of a little machette accident I had 3 days before on Aracamuni... :) See pic below what my leg looked like while I was on Duida: Best wishes, Fernando Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff 1 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 aie aie !!! big hitch , you are OK now ? JEFF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Rivadavia Posted February 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 Hello Jeff, I had to have an operation afterwards to stitch everything back together internally, but fortunately there was no permanent damage and I was hiking again only 3 months after the accident. ;) Thanks Fernando Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsivertsen Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 (edited) Ouch Fernando! Glad to know it wasn't too serious, although it very well could have been! When I see Andreas walking around on steep and slippery slopes, near death, and knowing how quick accidents can happen, it runs a chill up my spine! I hope you guys get to grow into a grouchy old fart like myself, heh, heh, so we can talk about the "good old times" over a few beers! But I only have to look into my own photo albums to see me doing things that I would NEVER do these days, ... oh well, .... youth! - Rich Edited February 9, 2009 by rsivertsen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Rivadavia Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hey Rich, Luckily I didn't get an infection while sitting for 3 days on that mountain waiting for the helicopter to return, or else it would've been very serious! It actually still took me a week until I got back to any sort of city with a hospital. Anyway, more and more I understand what you mean above and keep thinking of all the crazy hikes I've done alone... Wait 'till you see my pics on Eric Partrat's website of when I found P.moctezumae last November, hahaha! :) Best wishes, Fernando Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dieball Posted November 15, 2016 Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 Hmmm. Those Heliamphora from Avispa, doesn't look like tatei to me. Aren't those H. neblinae? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maciej Stelmach Posted November 15, 2016 Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 1 hour ago, Dieball said: Hmmm. Those Heliamphora from Avispa, doesn't look like tatei to me. Aren't those H. neblinae? Considering that the topic is 8 years old I think there's no need for explanation :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dieball Posted November 15, 2016 Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 Year I know it's the age of the topic, being this case, but I just wanted to confirm if I'm right, or that H. tatei is more variable than I anticipated :)Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maciej Stelmach Posted November 15, 2016 Report Share Posted November 15, 2016 As far as I know tatei occurs only on 3 Tepui: Duida, Huachamachare and Marahuaka. Plants you refer to are obviously H. neblinae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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