In January, 1980, during a collecting trip to the Lake Region, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, a new species of Bromeliaceae was found: Neoregelia eltoniana Weber. It was described by the eminent botanist Wilhelm Weber from the German Democratic Republic
N. eltoniana was first collected in the 1960's by the botanist Dimitri Sucre near Cabo Frio town. Reports from 1970 by the collector Mr. Luiz K. Correia de Araujo indicate several habitat areas for the species, thereby confirming its presence in the area referred to.
Information was also obtained from the collector Luiz Carlos Gurken, who originally showed us the species occurring in the area of Restinga de Massambaba. His specimens are under the collection number B-80, January 1971.
On the basis of accumulated data, we can establish the present distribution area of N. eltoniana. The species ranges from the southwest of Cabo Frio's dunes, along Cabo Frio Beach toward the dunes in the region placed between the sea and Araruama Lake, known as Restinga de Massambaba, and westward up to the east side of Saquarema Lake.
Neoregelia eltoniana is irregularly distributed in that area. The plants exist in groups, some numerous, growing on dunes already covered and fixed by typical vegetation. This vegetation consists also of some pioneer species which began the natural process of vegetational succession. This process culminates in a formation of thicket vegetation, sometimes 4 m high. The thicket formation is composed of groups of bushes strongly ligneous and slightly sclerophytic, mixed with short, twisted, bushy trees. This formation constitutes the habitat of N. eltoniana. Consequently, the plant grows mainly on sand dunes amidst thicket formations. Despite being heliophytic, it can be found under the shade of bushes and also more rarely as an epiphyte, possibly because of the production of stolons. In some places, the dune vegetation becomes so dense that the effect of shading slowly eliminates the bromeliads because of the absence of light.
According to Rizzini, (Carlos Toledo Rizzini, Trotodo de Fitogeografio do Brasil, Vo. 2, Sao Paulo, 1979), the bromeliads, heliophytes and xerophytes are pioneer plants in this area. We can include in that group N. eltoniana and others such as Vriesea neoglutinosa and Neoregelia cruenta, all sharing the same habitat. The groups of bromeliads together with the shrubby trees of the thicket generate ideal conditions for the successional development of more advanced communities. Gradually, the bushy vegetation becomes more dense until the heliophytic bromeliads are all but eliminated by the increasingly heavy shade.
Presently, huge formations of Vriesea neoglutinosa and Neoregelia cruenta are still common in that region and the epiphytic Tillandsia gardneri and T. stricta are found there as well. Plants of the latter 2 species of Tillandsia are often found surviving and flowering even after having fallen from branches and remaining on the sandy ground of the restinga.
Neoregelia eltoniana is less common as a result of destructive human actions. The beauty of the coast of Cabo Frio and of Lake Saquarema are such that they are the targets of uncontrollable tourist demand. As a result, the existing populations of this species are very vulnerable to the onslaught of rapid urban growth.
There is an urgent need for the adoption of protective measures to assure the survival of such exquisite vegetation that shelters such an uncommon bromeliad species, and which enriches so much the beautiful scenery of the restinga. —SeeLeme 1983p. 33(3): 118-120
