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Serra Do Cipó, Minas Gerais State, Se Brazil - Part 1


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Hello all,

As this is Part 1, let’s talk about the place...

The Serra do Cipó is placed in the south of a great range, the Espinhaço Range, that goes from the state of Minas Gerais to Bahia State, where it finishes in the famous Chapada Diamantina. The access to the Serra (range) do Cipó is, in great part, in the town of Santana do Riacho, Serra do Cipó district (once called "Cardeal Mota") and is 100 km north of Belo Horizonte, capital of MG State. Because of the great diversity and endemism of plants and animals, part of this area is protected by a National Park.

We went there last Sunday (11/Oct), it was 9 hours traveling from São Paulo, we arrived very late and exhausted, but in time to appreciate the wonderful landscape next from where we were housed:

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And the animals too

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In the next day, we woke up early and began to explore.

In the picture, the Cipó River, the responsible of the name of the Range, originated by the union of the Rivers Gavião and the Mascates (see Part 3).

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In the first place we stopped, we saw many interesting plant in bloom:

Calliandra sp. (Fabaceae - Mimoisoideae)

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A possible-carnivorous, Paepalanthus bromelioides (Eriocaulaceae)

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And a beautiful Iridaceae, Trimezia juncifolia

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A mutant flower!

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But no CPs there...

In another place, far from the last, the first CPs appeared.

The # 1, Drosera hirtella var. hirtella, was growing in a very dry bank that suffered with the fire during the winter...

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And also Drosera communis

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In the margins of a dried river, Drosera tomentosa var. glabrata

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And a Paepalanthus sp. beginning to bloom

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And, in the margin of another small river, also without any water, growing with grasses, Utricularia tricolor

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Close

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Continues

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We went away from that place and went to a very famous place, the Giant Vellozias.

In the way, many interesting things:

An Ochnaceae

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Take a look on the bracts, covered by tentacles similar to those of Drosera:

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Maybe a protocarnivorous!?

Cambessedesia sp. (Melastomataceae)

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And the nice Paepalanthus bromelioides

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The giant Vellozias are really giant!!! :-)

They must have thousands of years.

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Some small Velloziaceae were blooming:

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Barbacenia sp.

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Alcantarea sp. (Bromeliaceae) !?

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An amazing landscape, but nothing carnivorous here...

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Another nice Melastomataceae

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And a very interesting one, covered by tricomes that, in this case, do not capture insects, but water, from the air

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But, maybe it could be a protocarnivorous too... :smile:

Continues

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Far away, another place, very propitious

Prostechea sp. (Orchidaceae)

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And a lizard

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Walking along, I found...

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A small and beautiful population of Drosera chrysolepis

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Some closes of the leaves. This color is outstanding!

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Fruits

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And me, with this small beauties 8-)

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Continues on Part 2, with lots of Drosera! 8-)

Best Regards,

Paulo Minatel

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Hi Paolo,

very beautyful pictures. :smile:

Most i like the bird, the mutant Iridaceae, the Ochnaceae and of course the Drosera. :(

The landscape is also very interesting.

To see "our" plants in nature is really the best, more interesting than seeing them in collections.

How big are the flowers from the Iridaceae and the Ochnaceae?

It has been worth to travel 9 hours, thanks very much for the fantastic pictures. :(

Some day i have to visit your country.

Can´t wait for the next part. :P

Best regards,

Dani

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Dear Paulo,

again very nice photographs of incredible nature!

Also the non-carnivorous plants are really interesting, especially the Melastomataceae - it reminds me of Roridulathe I also like the fascinating flowers of Trimezia juncifolia.

Cheers,

Markus

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Thanks all for the very nice comments! ;-)

How big are the flowers from the Iridaceae and the Ochnaceae?

The flowers of this Ochnaceae have about 3 cm of diameter. The plant is a shrub with about 1,5 m height.

The flowers of Trimezia juncifolia totally open have about 5 cm of diameter. The size of its leaves vary from about 25 cm to more than 1,5 meters (in the shadow, of course).

Part 2 in a few minutes.

Best Regards,

Paulo Minatel

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Hi Paulo,

many thanks for showing those pictures! It is always nice to see plants in their habitat for me, especially when it is so far away from where i live.

Are the D. chrysolepis growing in such a dry environment (at least it looks quite dry) all the year? If yes, i think i need to reconsider my conditions. Maybe this is the reason why i sometimes struggle with these plants.

Christian

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks again for the nice comments!

Christian - I believe yes. That place where they was growing was very dry and was not next to any small river or any place that seems to be very wet during the summer. The places where I found D. sp. "Shibata" and the second habitat of D. tentaculata was like this. I don't have long experience in growing this species, but I believe that the plants must do well in dryer conditions.

Best Regards,

Paulo Minatel Gonella

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