A new beautiful species of sundew has just been described from Brazil by Fernando Rivadavia and Paulo Minatel Gonella:
Rivadavia F. & P. Gonella, Drosera quartzicola (Droseraceae), a new and threatened species from the Serra do Cipó, Brazil, Phytotaxa 29: 33-40 (2011).
The paper includes a description of Drosera quartzicola , a new species from the Serra do Cipó highlands (1100-1350 m), Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil named after the characteristic habitat of this sundew, which occurs in silica sand mixed with white quartz gravel.
This species is noteworthy, among other features, because of its dense indumentum of small globular trichomes. The affinities with the putative relatives: D. schwackei, D. camporupestris, D. graminifolia and especially D. chrysolepis to which it seems to be closely related, are discussed.
The paper also includes a key to the species of Serra do Cipó , i.e. D. schwackei, D. quartzicola, D. chrysolepis, D. camporupestris, D. communis and D. grantsaui.
As expected, habitat information, detailed illustrations, and a conservation status are proposed: Drosera quartzicola is the rarest of the known sundews native to Brazil. Only known, despite extensive research, from four small populations (roughly 300 plants overall) in the Serra do Cipó highlands. Based on the IUCN criteria (IUCN 2001), D. quartzicola has been assessed as "Critically Endangered".
The following photos are a courtesy gesture by Paulo Minatel Gonella (thank you very much!):
The following photos are a courtesy gesture by Paulo Minatel Gonella (thank you very much!):
Habitat shot:
Group of plants with flower:
Plants. Note the short stem.
Look carefully and you will spot the glandular trichomes.
Drosera quartzicola size.
Plants during the dry season:
See complete field report by Paulo here:
My sincere congratulations to Fernando and Paulo for an excellent job!
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