Heliamphora heterodoxa

Heliamphora heterodoxa (Greek: heteros = other, doxa = opinion, belief) is a species of marsh pitcher plant native to Gran Sabana in Venezuela. It was first discovered in 1944 on the slopes interlinking Ptari-tepui and Sororopan-tepui and formally described in 1951.[2]

Heliamphora heterodoxa
Heliamphora heterodoxa in cultivation
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Sarraceniaceae
Genus:	Heliamphora
Species:	H. heterodoxa
Binomial name
Heliamphora heterodoxa Steyerm. (1951)[1]
Native range
Synonyms
Heliamphora heterodoxa auct. non Steyerm.: G.Cheers (1992) [=H. nutans]

This Heliamphora is closely related to H. glabra and the latter was for a long time considered a form of H. heterodoxa. It is one of four Heliamphora taxa formally described by Julian A. Steyermark.[3]

Heliamphora heterodoxa is known to tolerate slightly higher temperatures compared to other Heliamphora species, due to its habitats being located in upland wetlands and lower elevation Pantepui habitats (approx. 1200m - 1500m a.s.l.). The plant grows vigorously and exhibits a large, overhanging nectar spoon.

Etymology

The name "heterodoxa", meaning "variable", was given to the species by J.A. Steyermark who had observed that "considerable variation occurs within this species".[2] An expedition to the locus classicus of H. heterodoxa on the southwestern slopes of Ptari-tepui undertaken in May 2018 confirmed occurrences of one other species of Heliamphora, H. collina, as well as a H. collina x purpurascens hybrid swarm being present at the very same location.[4]

Infraspecific taxa

• Heliamphora heterodoxa var. exappendiculata Maguire & Steyerm. (1978) [=H. exappendiculata]
• Heliamphora heterodoxa var. exappendiculata f. glabella Steyerm. (1984) [=H. minor]
• Heliamphora heterodoxa var. glabra Maguire (1978) [=H. glabra]
• Heliamphora heterodoxa f. glabra (Maguire) Steyerm. (1984) [=H. glabra]

References

1. Steyermark, J.A. et al. (May 18, 1951). Sarraceniaceae. [pp. 239–242] In: Contributions to the flora of Venezuela. Botanical exploration in Venezuela - 1. Fieldiana: Botany 28(1): 1–242.
2. Steyermark, Julian A. (1951). Contributions to the flora of Venezuela /. v.28:no.1 (1951). Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Natural History Museum. pp. 239–242.
3. Taylor, M.S. (1989). Plant taxa described by Julian A. Steyermark. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 76(3): 652–780. doi:10.2307/2399648
4. Wrazidlo, M. (December 2019). "Quest for the origin of Heliamphora heterodoxa. Report of May 2018 expedition to Venezuela with carnivorous flora occurrences in the base areas of Ptari-tepui" (PDF). Carnivorous Plant Newsletter. 48: 183–187.

Further reading

• Barrera, R., D. Fish & C.E. Machado-Allison (1989). Ecological patterns of aquatic insect communities in two Heliamphora pitcher-plant species of the Venezuelan highlands. Ecotropicos 2(1): 31–44.
• Carow, T., A. Wistuba & P. Harbarth (March 2005). Heliamphora sarracenioides, a new species of Heliamphora (Sarraceniaceae) from Venezuela. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 34(1): 4–6.
• (in Spanish) Fleischmann, A. & J.R. Grande Allende 2012 ['2011']. Taxonomía de Heliamphora minor Gleason (Sarraceniaceae) del Auyán-tepui, incluyendo una nueva variedad. [Taxonomy of Heliamphora minor Gleason (Sarraceniaceae) from Auyán-tepui, including a new variety.] Acta Botánica Venezuelica 34(1): 1–11.
• Jaffé, K., M.S. Blum, H.M. Fales, R.T. Mason & A. Cabrera (1995). On insect attractants from pitcher plants of the genus Heliamphora (Sarraceniaceae). Journal of Chemical Ecology 21(3): 379–384. doi:10.1007/BF02036725
• Nerz, J. (December 2004). Heliamphora elongata (Sarraceniaceae), a new species from Ilu-Tepui. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 33(4): 111–116.
• Nerz, J. & A. Wistuba (June 2006). Heliamphora exappendiculata, a clearly distinct species with unique characteristics. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 35(2): 43–51.
• McPherson, S. 2007. Pitcher Plants of the Americas. The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company, Blacksburg, Virginia.
• Wistuba, A., P. Harbarth & T. Carow (December 2001). Heliamphora folliculata, a new species of Heliamphora (Sarraceniaceae) from the ‘Los Testigos’ table mountains in the south of Venezuela. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 30(4): 120–125.
• Wistuba, A., T. Carow & P. Harbarth (September 2002). Heliamphora chimantensis, a new species of Heliamphora (Sarraceniaceae) from the ‘Macizo de Chimanta’ in the south of Venezuela. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 31(3): 78–82.
• (in German) Wistuba, A., T. Carow, P. Harbarth, & J. Nerz (2005). "Heliamphora pulchella, eine neue mit Heliamphora minor (Sarraceniaceae) verwandte Art aus der Chimanta Region in Venezuela" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-20. Das Taublatt 53(3): 42–50.