Thanks for the very nice pictures, especially the last one of the flower with the ants in a circle inside !
regards, Rashida. On Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 9:25 AM, Mahadeswara <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks for the very useful info. The photographs are also excellent. > Your inquisitiveness to know more on the subject has brought out > interesting information. > > On Mar 18, 12:42 am, Padmini Raghavan <[email protected]> wrote: > > I suddenly noticed the roots of the Autograph Tree and wondered if it > was a > > mangrove species. > > I came across this fascinating item on the net. Hope you like it. > > ( No wonder Dr. M . Swamy told us it was a special tree. I forget what > else > > he said abt it.) > > > > Regards, > > Padmini Raghavan. > > > > *Clusia rosea* Jacq. > > > > Common Name: COPEY, MATAPALO > > > > Clinging evergreen treelet, aerial shrub, or rarely ground-rooted tree > (10 > > m) most often found attached to the trunks of large forest trees. As do > most > > *Clusias*, *C. rosea* begins life as a seedling high in the branches of a > > canopy tree or wedged into a crevice on a steep, rocky cliff. Growing > > epiphytically at first, this succulent, dry-adapted plant eventually > > generates roots that extend to the soil far below. *Clusia rosea* may be > > found anywhere sunlight and rainfall are abundant. > > > > *Description*: When growing on the side of another tree, *C. rosea* is > > composed of multiple small *trunks* and many extended branches. Roots > > encircle the host bole and may extend all the way down to the forest > floor. > > When growing independently, > > <http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/clusia%20flower.jpg>this species > > produces many low, thick, and horizontal limbs from which a confusing > tangle > > of aerial roots emerge. Reaching the soil, these vertical roots may later > > thicken, becoming secondary stems. Over time, this unusual growth results > in > > a dense, spreading and low (10 m) crown. *Clusia* bark is smooth textured > > and gray in color. As do others of the genus, *C. rosea* exudes copious > > quantities of thick, latex sap from its leaves, twigs, and fruits - > however > > that of this species is a striking fluorescent yellow-green color (and > not > > the more usual white). *Leaves* are large (17 by 12 cm), simple, and > > oppositely arranged. Thick and succulent, the waxy blades are used by the > > plant to store water. Each leaf is very widely rounded in shape (nearly > > orbicular), possessing a semicircular, drip-tipless apice. A single thick > > mid rib is flanked by fine, parallel secondary veins that emerge from it > at > > an acute angle and continue to the leaf margin. The disk-shaped > > *flowers*are large (10 cm in diameter), attractive, and showy. Seven > > fleshy > > snow-white petals surround a button-sized, green central pistil. An > annular > > nectary adorns the base of the ovary. Flowers open facing downwards, in > the > > late afternoon or evening. By morning, they have already begun to turn > brown > > and die. Flower buds are globular and also mostly white, however they > show > > some pink tinges as well. The yearly, very regular, and synchronized > > flowering period begins in late June and terminates in early September. * > > Fruits* begin to grow immediately thereafter, from the expanding ovary. > They > > mature five months later as glossy green, globular capsules (5 cm in > > diameter). Fruiting commences as each capsule splits into a flower-like > > star. Inside, eight narrow compartments hold many small (4-5 mm) > > orange-ariled, white seeds. Harvests last from mid-March through late > May. > > > > *Similar Species*: *C. rosea* may be confused with some of the other > aerial > > *Clusias*, like *C. peninsulae*, however the former has larger and much > > rounder leaves than all the others (see description for *C. peninsulae*). > > > > *Natural History*: *Clusia* flowers, open primarily in the evening, are > > probably bat pollinated. Fruits are visited by small birds (e.g. > Red-legged > > Honeycreepers) that consume the ariled seeds. > > <http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/clusia%20fruit.jpg>The arboreal > habits > > of these small creatures ensure that some seeds will end up high in the > > branches of other rain forest trees, ready to germinate where insolation > > levels are high - but water is scarce. *Clusia*'s water-storing, > succulent > > leaves represent an adaptation to these droughty conditions and help the > > tree survive during the time it exists as an epiphyte. Though it does > rely > > on a large tree for support, this species does not seem to pose a major > > threat to its host - rarely growing large or high enough to compete with > it > > for sunlight. > > > > *Uses*: The leathery, flexible, and durable leaves are said to have been > > used by pirates as playing cards. > > > > *Distribution*: *Clusia rosea* can be found where sunlight is abundant - > as > > in the tall crowns of canopy trees. Common in many parts of Costa Rica, > this > > species is also known from Nicaragua, Panamaa, Ecuador, Peru, the > Dominican > > Republic, and Puerto Rico. > > > > Clusia rosea-15-3-2011 005.jpg > > 234KViewDownload > > > > Clusia rosea-15-3-2011 008.jpg > > 230KViewDownload > > > > Clusia rosea-15-3-2011 009.jpg > > 231KViewDownload > > > > Clusia rosea - 4-3-2011 002.jpg > > 227KViewDownload > > > > Clusia rosea - 4-3-2011 010.jpg > > 209KViewDownload
