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Catasetum spitzii
Catasetum spitzii has a fairly widespread
distribution in Central Brazil. Its habitats are deciduous forests, where the plants grow mostly on Tabebuia species, and the plants can also be
found growing on palm trees that are abundant on grasslands. On that sort of habitat, subject to intense light
and a very well marked dry season, female flowers are produced in abundance, and usually before the male inflorescences
thus almost certainly insuring cross-pollination on each individual plant. The female flowers are of the usual
helmet-lipped type, but the male flowers are very distinctive. These have fleshy and wide heart-shaped lips that
are fairly flat and up to almost 2" across. Like in most Catasetum species, flower colors vary widely, and here they go from apple green to greenish-yellow,
bright yellow, orange-yellow, suffused with red markings to completely red. Female flowers are produced in large
quantities on strong, upright inflorescences, and can stay open for up to one month. Male flowers, on the other
hand, are produced on arching inflorescences and last for a lot less time, maybe a week or so. Considering relationships
in the genus, the most closely related species to Catasetum spitzii are C. trulla,
C. kleberianum and C. vinaceum, especially the latter. Catasetum vinaceum has smaller flowers with
lips that are not so flat (rather, more cup-like) and have a not so far to the west distribution range, whereas
C. trulla is a coastal species,
distributed a good distance apart to the south. Catasetum kleberianum, on the other hand, occurs in the Amazonas State, in the heart of the Amazon Region.
Catasetum spitzii is one of
the showiest species in the genus, and plants flower in the Fall, after the new growths have finished their development.
The species is very easy to grow, under warm conditions, when the dry period after flowering and throughout the
Winter is respected.
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Distribution Map for Catasetum spitzii. Like for most Catasetum
species, it is very difficult to precisely delimit its distribution, mainly because Central Brazil is vast and
there are not real physical barriers to promote range containment. That said, it is very possible that the species
can be found in Mato-Grosso and Mato-Grosso do Sul States, and even in Tocantins and Minas Gerais. The species
is very common around and to the west and east of Goiania.
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On 1,
we see the typical habitat of Catasetum spitzii,
growing on large trees of Tabebuia.
The plants are so well adapted to grow under these conditions that it is not unusual to find individual plants
more than 1 ft. across. Here we see a typical female inflorescence with its thick, upright rachis.
On 2, we see a closer view of
one of these plants, this time with a male flower. It is very unusual to see inflorescences with just one flower,
but then again when we took these pictures female inflorescences were at their maximum and male inflorescences
were just starting to be produced. It is easy to see the amount of aerial roots these plants produce. This allows
the underlying roots to breathe and also attaches the plants extremely well to the trees.
On 3, we can see a male inflorescence
of the species, with very showy flowers. This color form is the most common in Catasetum
spitzii, although as said before, there is a lot of variation in the species.
Male inflorescences can produce up to more than 20 flowers, all open at once. |
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