Q: Heliamphora from the western ranges

Western species
H. hispida Wistuba & Nerz	S & C Neblina
H. macdonaldae (Gleason) Steyerm.1	Duida, Huachamacare
H. neblinae Maguire2	NW to C Neblina
H. tatei Gleason3,4	Duida, Aracamuni, Avispa, Huachamacare, Marahuaca (and possibly southern Neblina?)
1Some authors prefer H. tatei var. macdonaldae. 2What some authors mean by H. tatei var. neblinae. 3What some authors mean by H. tatei var. tatei. 4Probably includes H. tyleri Gleason.

Tepui map
(after Givnish et al. 2000) A: These are the species found in the western range of Heliamphora country, which is almost entirely (but not quite completely) in Venezuela. As you can see from the little thumbnail range map on this page (click it to see more detail), the western range consists most famously of Cerro Duida (2358m) and Cerro de la Neblina (2994m). It also includes the lesser-known Cerro Huachamacare, Cerro Marahuaca, and Aracamuni.

I have not been to this part of the world, but all reports suggest that the area is difficult to travel through and survey. In all likelihood, there are as-yet-undetected species of Heliamphora awaiting discovery. Perhaps further research will settle the contentious issues surrounding the uncertainty of the various species and infraspecific names in my table. As I noted earlier, I am following a system that mixes the family treatments promoted by McPherson (2006) and Berry et al. (2005).

It was long thought that Heliamphora in this western set of peaks were typically tall-pitchered, as compared to the species far to the east. This rule has been found to be invalid.

Heliamphora hispida--A very shapely species with pitchers that are either green and red, or completely red. Pitchers are only 15-25 cm tall (6-10 inches), and represent an example of a stout species in the western range. This plant may be producing hybrid swarms with H. tatei that are confounding taxonomists. This is a difficult problem for those who wish to be able to definitively identify each and every plant!

Heliamphora macdonaldae--The upper inside of the pitcher of this species glabrous and is beautifully colored on the interior pitcher surface.

• H. tatei seedling
• H. tatei youngster

Heliamphora neblinae--This is a source of great controversy: is it a separate species or just a subspecies of H. tatei? Many H. neblinae in cultivation are actually H. tatei. Taxa such as H. neblinae var. viridis Maguire and H. neblinae var. parva Maguire are perhaps not merited, and may have resulted in part from the confusion between H. neblinae and H. tatei. Heliamphora neblinae occurs in large highland meadows with Brocchinia reducta, and has a variable nectar spoon structure.

Heliamphora tatei--A giant that can make scrambling stems 1.5 meters tall (5 feet)! The green or greenish-red pitchers pitchers are also large---they are up to 50 cm tall (20 inches) tall with slightly swollen bellies and pitcher tubes that gently expand upwards. The nectar spoon is flat or conical, and narrow at the base. The populations in Cerro Aracamuni by Cerro Avispa are somewhat different in character. This is the second species of Heliamphora ever to be discovered, in 1928.

Page citations: Berry, P., et al. 2005; Givnish, T.J. et al. 2000; McPherson, S. 2006; Nerz, J. and Wistuba, A. 2000; Rice, B. 2006a; Schlauer, J. 2002.