Pinguicula potosiensis
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 summer rosette
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| Pinguicula potosiensis Speta & Fuchs, 1989 |
Pinguicula potosiensis is a species of butterwort, an insectivorous plant belonging to the genus Pinguicula, section Orcheosanthus. It is native to the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. It was first described in 1989 by Franz Speta and Franz Fuchs.
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[edit] Morphology
The species has a heterophyllous tropical growth habit and, as such, forms different rosettes in the summer and winter, both stemless. It lacks a primary root, and instead forms numerous adventitous roots which are white and filiform.
The summer rosette consists of 15 to 20 leaves, 8 - 8.5 cm long and up to 4 cm wide, oval to oblong, with its edges rolled upwards. In full sun the leaves are tinted red to purple.
The dense hairy winter rosette in contrast is much smaller and compact and consists of 30 to 40 obovate leaves, which are up to 2 centimeters long only and 6 to 9 millimeters wide. They are always of a green-yellowish colour. By not forming carnivorous leaves when moisture levels and prey abundance are lower, the plant conserves energy.
An adult plant forms 4 or 5 pink flowers per year. These usually appear during the winter rosette stage, although flowers can sometimes appear during the summer as well.
[edit] Distribution
Pinguicula potosiensis is endemic to San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
[edit] Taxonomy
There has been an ongoing discussion since this species was first described about whether P. potosiensis is really a distinct species or whether it may be nothing more than a form of the highly variable P. moranensis. Speta and Fuchs, who described the species, already admitted the strong similarity of these two species. The only distinguishing characteristics are the much smaller winter rosette and narrower lobes of P. potosiensis as well as differences in the colours of the flowers and leaves.
 P. potosiensis, winter rosette |
 P. potosiensis, flower |
[edit] Sources
- Franz Speta, Franz Fuchs: Drei neue Pinguicula-Arten der Sektion Orcheosanthus DC. aus Mexico. In: Phyton (Austria). Vol. 29, pages 93-103. Austria, 1989.
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