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Brassavola tuberculata
Brassavola tuberculata is one of several species of the genus that occur in Brazil.
With very few exceptions, the different species produce very similar flowers and are sometimes very difficult to
tell apart. Brassavola tuberculata is one of the easiest to identify, though, mostly due to
their very compact growth habit, erect inflorescences and fairly small flowers produced only 2-4 per inflorescence.
The species is typical form Rio de Janeiro City and surrounding areas, and the habitats are the rocky slopes of
large bolder mountains like the Sugar loaf and Gávea. The species can also be found in Espírito Santo
State under the same conditions. On these vast exposed rock areas, the species produces very large specimens either
growing on the fringe of vegetation islands or fully exposes on isolated patches. The plants are usually found
on more than 45 degrees slopes up to almost vertical walls and by no means are limited to these massive rock mountains.
Even on smaller boulders that are as low an 30 meters (100 ft.) high and facing the sea, plants can be plentiful.
In these cases, plants are sometimes subject to sea water splashes during especially rough seas and seam to survive
well. All this sunlight, wind and sea water help explain how the plants are so compact. Brassavola tuberculata produces flowers that are about 2' across and the color of the segments vary from greenish
to yellowish. The fairly small lips are always white with a greenish throat.
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Distribution Map for Brassavola tuberculata.
This is a coastal species extremely common on big rock boulders around and in Rio de Janeiro City. The actual distribution
limits may vary, but this kind of rock mountain where the species inhabit is almost only found in Rio de Janeiro
State.
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On 1, we see a
very large patch of Brassavola tuberculata on a slope of the Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro City.
This is the way the species grow abundantly, and these patches can be more than 3 meters (10') across. As we can
see, the plants grow on the outer parts of the vegetation island so they are exposed to full sunlight and plenty
of wind.
on 2, we see a small specimen growing isolated on the rock surface, with no protection whatsoever
from any associated vegetation. Besides the fact that the plants are exposed to the full rigors of the sun and
wind, their roots are also completely exposed. The rock temperature can go to more than 140 F, and is really amazing
the plants and especially the roots can survive under such harsh conditions. |
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