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Maxillaria picta
Maxillaria picta is one of the better
known Brazilian species of the genus. It has a wide distribution range on the coastal mountains, where plants are
found usually above 2000 ft. The main distribution is on the Serra do Mar complex (which is the most coastal range
in south/eastern Brazil), that goes from Rio Grande to Sul to Espírito Santo States, and includes well-known
mountains like the Organ Mountains in Rio de Janeiro. In São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Espírito
Santo States, plants are also found on the Serra da Mantiqueira, which is the second mountain range from the sea.
Plants grow inside the forest, but usually on higher branches where they can get enough light but still benefit
from humidity form the forest and also from the fog these mountains are frequently subject to. Plants of Maxillaria picta can also be found growing on
rocks, either on more exposed areas inside the forest, or on totally exposed rocks on areas subject to high humidity.
In this case, plants are usually found with some protection from shrubs but still getting plenty of light. Maxillaria
picta is one of the showiest Brazilian species of the genus. Plants are rather compact, with two leaves on each
pseudobulb, and produce several flowers at once on each growth. These are produced on fairly short (about 2"-3"
in general) individual inflorescences. and they are usually about 1 1/2" and don't open well. Color is yellowish
going to whitish to the tips of the segments and with brownish-red marking on the exterior of the sepals and petals.
Flowers are extremely fragrant.
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Distribution Map for Maxillaria picta. The species has a wide distribution range on mountains close to the sea, going more inland
only from São Paulo to the northeast, on the seaward slopes of the Serra da Mantiqueira, the second mountain
range going inland from the coast.
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On 1,
we see the typical way plants of the species are found
Plants produce fairly large clumps that can cover large portions of trunks and branches, and under shady conditions
like in this case, they do not produce abundance of flowers (plants on more exposed places can be found almost
totally covered with flowers - the pseudobulbs, that is, as the flower spikes are always shorter than the leaves).
Plants growing inside the forest usually produce long leaves, like here, but then again plants growing more exposed
to strong light can get real short, with leaves sometimes less than 6" tall.
On 2, typical flowers of Maxillaria picta.. The color is typical for the
species, and also the way the segments open. Column is always a dark red-brown. |
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