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Project Noah Nature School
Clusia Grandiflora
Big dead flower. 20 cm? Not sure what colours they are when fresh, but very fleshy brown like when dead. I guess it had white petals and a pink heart, but the ones I found on the jungle floor where brown with some pink leftovers on the underside. Slimy anemone looking heart.
On jungle floor near the river and Angel Falls, Canaima, Bolivar, Venezuela.
This species is capable of absorbing carbon dioxide during the night. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crassulace... for more information about this. Medicinal use. The whole plant:, decocted with species of Smilax, Strychnos, Doliocarpus, Philodendron and Bauhinia scala-simiae, is made into a tonic. The liquid from the cut liana is used as a wash to relieve aching bones and as a treatment for botfly larvae. Cut pieces of the aerial roots are soaked in water or wine to make an infusion which is used as tonic for relieving back pain. The latex from the stem is used effectively in a plaster to treat body aches. Latex from the bark is antiseptic and vulnerary. It is applied, usually mixed with water, to wounds for healing. The root is used to treat back pain. The wood is boiled, and the water used as an antiseptic agent, for treating sores or as a treatment for cuts and wounds. The leaves are rich in flavonoids.
Ohh DanielePralong. I only just saw your comment! I will make amends immediately!
Thanks for the correction!
What a great series Debbie! I'm glad you got an ID, and congratulations on your nomination! A comment regarding your notes: Clusia is not the only genus of plants capable of absorbing carbon dioxide during the night. This phenomenon, known as CAM for Crassulacean Acid Metabolism, or CAM photosynthesis, was discovered in the family Crassulaceae, also known as the stonecrop family. All plants in this family possess CAM. It is also found in other groups of plants. You can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crassulace...
Maria dB
Yes. I saw them on the way up towards the Angel Falls and on our way back I took some time to take these pictures and stayed behind. They were all lying close to each other in different stages of decay. The brown one were the most dead. The pink in the pictures is actually the underside of the flower. The spot must have been under the tree but I did not see any flowers higher up.
Thanks AntónioGinjaGinja
I am always very excited and honored to getting nominated.
Your spotting has been nominated for the Spotting of the Week. The winner will be chosen by the Project Noah Rangers based on a combination of factors including: uniqueness of the shot, status of the organism (for example, rare or endangered), quality of the information provided in the habitat and description sections. There is a subjective element, of course; the spotting with the highest number of Ranger votes is chosen. Congratulations on being nominated!
No I don't know. You could just leave it at Gustavia sp. for the scientific name though.
Yes Machi. You are right! That is what it looks like. Any idea what kind of Gustavia???? They all look similar.
Thanks Brian38
I hope anyone can tell me what the flower is. The guide was not very interested in telling us so we could remember :-(
And he was not very impressed so maybe it is a dead common flower. I thought it was gorgeous in a sort of anemone kind of way.
Great spotting Muckpuk!! There is a good chance this is the first spotting on Project Noah for this species.
Spotted on Jan 5, 2018
Submitted on Jan 29, 2018
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