Rediscovered Species - Heliamphora macdonaldae
Species:
Heliamphora macdonaldae
Locality:
Venezuela
Date discovered:
November 2004
Discovery Details
In 1928, American botanist Henry Gleason and his colleagues began an epic journey into the heart of the Guiana Highlands to explore a remote plateau called Cerro Duida. Beyond all hope of rescue, the expedition reached the mountain's abrupt cliffsides (which Alexander von Humboldt had pronounced unscaleable), and they climbed to the summit to discover an unexplored and unknown world never before seen by mankind.
The team discovered a plethora of new plant and animal species, including three new species of pitcher plants (Heliamphora tatei, H. macdonaldae and H. tyleri). Heliamphora tatei occurs widely on nearby peaks and has since been observed and documented extensively. But H. macdonaldae and H. tyleri remained obscure and unknown. After being briefly mentioned in a few publications in the 1930s and 1940s, both became obscure and eventually were forgotten by botanists, assumed to be synonyms of H. tatei.
In November 2004, Stewart McPherson joined Brazilian sundew expert Fernando Rivadavia and Gert Highbattle in an effort to explore the remote summit of Cerro Duida, and, on the summit of the plateau, they discovered the long-lost H. macdonaldae by chance. Many characteristics set H. macdonaldae apart from all other Heliamphora - most notably that the pitchers are glabrous (hairless) apart from a thin row of 2–4 mm-long, inward pointing hairs that are present on the very rim of the pitcher opening. Unusually, the interior of the pitcher is also lined with variable red or purple veins and suffuse pure red in some strains. This beautiful colouration is highly variable.
Further information and several photos of Heliamphora feature in Pitcher Plants of the Americas and Lost Worlds of the Guiana Highlands by Stewart McPherson. Both volumes are available online for immediate dispatch. Please see Redfern book catalogue (left) for more details or to place an order.
Please view our stock image and stock video libaries (links to the left) for photographs and video clips of this exciting little known plant!