Fernando Rivadavia 77 Report post Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) Hello everyone, My good friend Marcos Cardoso from Cuiabá (W Brazil) discovered yet another rare Utric: U.warmingii!! He was recently again in the Poconé region, where he also discovered the rare U.poconensis a few years ago: http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=26930&st=0&p=217398&hl=poconensis&fromsearch=1entry217398 To reach the spot where he found U.warmingii, it was 7 km on horseback with water up to the horses heels the whole time (the Pantanal Basin is mostly flooded at this time of year). In the same area he says he also found U.hydrocarpa, U.foliosa, U.cucullata & 2 terrestrial U.sp with yellow flowers I've never seen U.warmingii before, but I've admired it for over 20 years in Peter Taylor's monograph. Here's his description: Any of you notice what's so unique about this plant? The hugely tumesced base of the flower scape!! This structure has fascinated me and I've wanted to see it live and feel it between my fingers. Well at least now I can see them in Marcos' pictures... So without further delay, here's the never before seen pic of U.warmingii: Incredible, huh??? I'm fascinated to see that the flower is mostly white, with only the base of the lower lip yellow. Taylor says the flower is pale yellow. I wonder if maybe I've seen this species before off in the distance in the Pantanal, but dismissed it as a Utric? Or maybe I've even held flowerless stolons in my hands and didn't realize they belonged to this species? Marcos told me that the site where he found this plant dries up completely in the winter, confirming what Taylor wrote about U.warmingii, that it is an annual. Also, I noticed that the tumescent structure in the center of the pic seems to have two flower scapes arising from it. Taylor only shows one... More photos as soon as Marcos sends them my way! All the best, Fernando Edited June 18, 2011 by Fernando Rivadavia 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moof 1 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 Thanks for sharing the photo (I hope for more!). Very interesting species, I didn't hear about it before! Peter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mobile 465 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 Thank you for sharing pictures of this fascinating species. The structure at the base of the flower looks like someone has tied a plastic bag to it I envy the journey that Marcos made, as while it may have taken the whole day, I bet that the scenery was stunning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Tonnerre 0 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 You always bring most fascinating information and reports to the community, thanks for all that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gardenofeden 233 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 wow Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miloslav Macháček 11 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 Wow! I... wow... thanks for sharing!! I haven't heard about it before. Really beautiful and interresting species! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrAlmond 0 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 This utric is fantastic...could that "balloons" be used by the plant to help flowers to float on the water surface? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
-Xeno- 4 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 Very interesting utric, thanks for sharing! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maurizio 38 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 Really stunning! Grazie Fernando Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
James O'Neill 41 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 A very interesting utric indeed. Thanks Carlos, yet again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kisscool_38 108 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) Wahoo! That's a really nice and interesting species. The pedicel looks like a floating organ from other aquatic species such as Utricularia inflata. Thanks for sharing this discovery. Edited February 21 by kisscool_38 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Christian 96 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 Hi, that's really interesting. Many thanks for sharing the pictures with us! Can't wait for some more pictures ;) Christian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fernando Rivadavia 77 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 I'm glad you're all enjoying it as much as I did. :) I'm so happy to finally see what this plant look like!! Anyway, here are the other photos Marcos took... The habitat: U.warmingii Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fernando Rivadavia 77 Report post Posted June 13, 2011 U.warmingii & U.hydrocarpa: U.hydrocarpa: U.foliosa: U.warmingii, U.hydrocarpa & U.foliosa: U.myriocista (it wasn't U.cucullata): U.lloydii: U.pusilla?: Enjoy! Fernando Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Andreas Eils Report post Posted June 14, 2011 An extraordinary and particularly extraordinary beautiful Utricularia species! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moof 1 Report post Posted June 14, 2011 Thanks for the other photos, a very interesting place and Utricularia species. Peter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miloslav Macháček 11 Report post Posted June 15, 2011 Again some great pictures of wonderful plants. Especially U.myriocista looks amazing too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
amphirion 16 Report post Posted June 15, 2011 very nice photos Fernando! Thank Marco for us for allowing you to share these pics with us! that flower base structure reminds me very much of those air bladder structures we find on kelp...i guess that structure helps keep the flower afloat? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nicole 13 Report post Posted June 15, 2011 WOW! I don't know what to say.... so many rare species... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fernando Rivadavia 77 Report post Posted June 15, 2011 Hello again everyone, I've got new pictures from Marcos! Here's one of him (center) during this latest expedition to the Pantanal: And here's what he goes there to do, monitor nesting areas of aquatic birds: The Pantanal is a whole other world!!!! :) All the Best, Fernando P.S. Amphirion, yes they do look like kelp! As far as we can tell, they're floatation devices to help keep the flowers above the water no matter what. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fernando Rivadavia 77 Report post Posted November 6, 2011 Hello everyone, Here's an update on this topic. In early October my friend Marcos Cardoso returned to the site of U.warmingii in the northern Pantanal flood basin. This is late in the dry season, so I thought you may be interested in seeing what the habitat looks like during this time of year. Just to remind you though, here's an areal pic of the site during the wet season, when the ranch is flooded, with an arrow indicating the spot where the plants were found: And now pics of the same spot taken during Marcos' visit in early October 2011: Yep, I guess that means that all those species grow as annuals at that spot. :) Best wishes, Fernando Rivadavia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel O. 62 Report post Posted November 6, 2011 It´s really hard to believe that there is such a big difference in the humidity during the year. Best regards, Daniel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fernando Rivadavia 77 Report post Posted January 11, 2014 (edited) Hello everyone, Marcos just sent me some new pics!! He returned to this site I think in April of last year, here they are: And here is Marcos standing in the seasonally flooded habitat: Hope you liked it! ;-) Fernando Rivadavia Edited January 11, 2014 by Fernando Rivadavia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fernando Rivadavia 77 Report post Posted January 11, 2014 P.S. I just noticed something really cool in the pic below: Notice that Marcos broke one of the fat scapes, and.... it's hollow!!! For whatever reason, I was under the false impression that it was some kind of aerenchyma instead. But it has really thin walls and is really just a big air balloon. Cool, huh???? :) All the best, Fernando Rivadavia Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel O. 62 Report post Posted January 12, 2014 Thanks for the new pictures. So these fat scapes seem to give the flower buoyancy, really interesting. Best regards, Dani 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
