Fosterella yuvinkae Ibisch, R.V squez, E.Gross & S.Reichle
Literature references:
Comments:
- Although this species is thought to belong to the Fosterella penduliflora group, no molecular data are available yet in support of this assumption. The group is characterized by, among other characters, having rather long petals (9 mm and more) that are not recoiled. It differs from F. penduliflora by having densely lanate leaves with long trichomes (vs. sparingly scurfy beneath), very narrowly lanceolate, 1.5 mm wide petals (vs. lanceolate-oblong and more than 2 mm wide). It should resemble the geographically close F. chiquitana, but differs by having 12 mm long floral bracts that do not exceed the pedicels (vs. 8-11 mm and exceeding the pedicels), glabrous floral bracts and sepals, much longer trichomes on the abaxial side of the leaves than in F. chiquitana, leaves somewhat constricted at the base and the style that is much longer than the ovary (vs. style about equaling ovary).
The type collection was made on steep slopes beside rocky rivulets in riverine forest of the Santiago mountain chain within the Chiquitano Dry Forest eco-region, where plants either grew on rocks or directly on the ground. The diameter of adult plants varied significantly in different light situations. Flowering plants growing in permanent dark shade had a diameter of ca. 30 cm, and adult plants in areas of more light had diameters of up to approximately 100 cm. The plants flower in the dry season, at least from July to August, which may vary with different precipitation values in different years. Mean precipitation is ca. 1100 mm/year with a rainy season from October to February and the driest months in July and August (Villarpando et al. 2002). The riverine forests in some places consist only of one row of trees and are replaced by Cerrado forest about 5 m from the stream. In canyon-like valleys, the forest-belts are broader and may fill some small valleys (belts of up to 50-60 m wide). The Precambrian mountain chain is biogeographically important by being rather isolated from other similar structures and by providing azonal climate. The Santiago mountains are floristically special as they represent humid forest remnants within a dry forest region (see Guillon et al. 2002). Typically, tree ferns are part of the riverine vegetation. Along with other areas, the rock outcrops on the top of the mountains are the habitat for the virtually Puya-like Pitcairnia platystemon (stiff and spiny leaves, petals somewhat twisted together after anthesis) which is endemic to the type locality. —See Peters 2009
