Cryptanthus giganteus Leme & A.P Fontana
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Comments:
- Cryptanthus giganteus was found growing terrestrially on the deep shaded floor of a dry, semi-deciduous vine-rich Atlantic forest fragment in the low altitudinal lands of the Municipality of Sao Roque do Canaa, which is characterized by only two distinct climatic seasons; a dry one followed by a rainy period. This new species was observed in only two ecologically similar neighboring areas of three and six hectares respectively, which were explored for timber about 45 or 50 years ago. The older tallest trees of the original forest can not be seen anymore, except for few remaining isolated specimens of 25-30 m tall in great contrast with the average 15 m tall of most existing trees.
In the collected area, C. giganteus forms a sparsely distributed population of one to three isolated individuals characterized by its very long and broad leaves - which inspired its name - of green to bronze color. Although the known areas of occurrance of this new species are now under regular protection, very probably C. giganteus was discovered on the brink of extinction. —See J. Bromeliad Soc.
