Cryptanthus brevifolius Leme
Literature references:
Comments:
- Cryptanthus brevifolius grows as a terrestrial species, forming dense groups of plants on the open, semideciduous Atlantic Forest floor, on inclined terrains, on the north, lower watershed of the hill.
Notes
Introduced into cultivation nearly 25 year ago by the bromeliad grower Renato Bello, there is still very little known about Cryptanthus 'Bello #2', as it has been known in the United States (see Giroux, 2009). The story on that species started in 1987 when Roberto Menescal, Renato Bello and I met the late plant grower, Joaquim Cannais, who owned a plant nursery in the county of Serra, about 30 km from Vitoria, Espirito Santo state. Cannais' nursery was located right along the federal road BR 101, between two hills; in the rear of the property is an inselberg characterized by large granite outcrops covered by Vellozia sp. populations, and on the front there is an elevated forested hill, which continues across BR 101.
On that occasion, following lunch with the Cannais' family, our group divided to investigate the area: Menescal and I explored the hill behind the nursery which fortunately for us was much easily climbed in such a warm and humid afternoon. We soon discovered C. coriaceous, which I later described as a new species (see Leme, 1991). In the meantime, Bello stayed in the nursery with Cannais, searching for native bromeliads being grown in cultivation. It was among these plants being grown by Cannais tbat Cryptanthus 'Bello # 2'
was first discovered; Cannais indicated that it was the elevated forested hill across the highway as the place where it was originally collected.
The confirmation that the species really originated from the above mentioned area came to light when Rafael de Oliveira, a well known bromeliad collector, explored the place following the directions provided by Cannais, and located the population of "Bello # 2", so introducing in cultivation first hand collected plants, here used to describe the species. —See J. Crypt. Soc.
