CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Habitat, nursery/collection and show tours.
Marlon Machado
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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Marlon Machado »

We left this habitat and drove several kilometers further along the road towards Itinga. A few kilometers before arriving in Itinga we made our last stop of the day, at another granitic inselberg, the type locality of Coleocephalocereus purpureus:
[attachment 12907 P6250273.JPG]
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Marlon Machado.

Institute for Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Marlon Machado »

Coleocephalocereus purpureus is the sister species of Coleocephalocereus aureus, and differ from it because of its red spines and red bristles in the cephalium (instead of golden yellow in C. aureus), and for having magenta flowers (greenish yellow to golden yellow in C. aureus):
[attachment 12908 P6250262.JPG]
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Marlon Machado.

Institute for Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Marlon Machado »

However, unlike Coleocephalocereus aureus which is quite widespread in the region, Coleocephalocereus purpureus is only known from four localities, and it is endangered because mining companies want to quarry the granite of the places where it grows. Coleocephalocereus purpureus is facing a great threat, and if we do not manage to preserve its habitats then sadly this species will become extinct in the wild:
[attachment 12909 P6250248.JPG]
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Marlon Machado.

Institute for Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Marlon Machado »

[attachment 12910 P6250256.JPG]
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Marlon Machado.

Institute for Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Marlon Machado »

Below is a specimen with a flower bud and a couple of spent flowers, the flower bud being cut by ants:
[attachment 12911 P6250254.JPG]
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Marlon Machado.

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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Marlon Machado »

Another specimen of Coleocephalocereus purpureus with a flower bud:
[attachment 12912 P6250266.JPG]
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Marlon Machado.

Institute for Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Marlon Machado »

And below is a specimen of Coleocephalocereus purpureus in fruit:
[attachment 12913 P6250223.JPG]
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Marlon Machado.

Institute for Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Marlon Machado »

Most of the cacti found at the Coleocephalocereus aureus habitat could also be found here. Below is a specimen of Melocactus bahiensis subsp. amethystinus:
[attachment 12914 P6250242.JPG]
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Marlon Machado.

Institute for Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH-8008 Zurich, Switzerland.
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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Marlon Machado »

Here also grows some huge trees of Ceiba jasminodora, with massive succulent roots growing on top of the rocks (the horizontal bit of the plant in the picture below is not a trunk but a root):
[attachment 12915 P6250239.JPG]
After visiting this habitat, we drove back to our hotel at Itaobim.

Cheers,

Marlon.
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Rogan
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Re: CSSA habitat tour in Brazil (with pictures)

Post by Rogan »

Wow! Wow! Wow! is all I can say! I thought southern Africa had it all when it came to succulents, but your beautifully presented virtual tour of South America has opened my eyes to a whole 'New World' of succulent plants - thanks a million for all your dedication and effort in bringing this to us and long may all these plants remain unmolested in their exquisite habitats.
Swellendam, Western Cape, South Africa
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