Stegolepis huberi differs from stegolepis guianensis in that it is much smaller (guinanensis is up to 2 m tall vs less than 0,5 m for huberi). Huberi has inferior number of spikelets in inflorescence (guianensis up to 90), inflorescence is compressed/flattened vs globose in guianensis. Huberi’s penduncle is flat vs triangular in guianensis.
Huberi has an overall flattened appearance, that is apparent when seen from the side.
Huberi and guianensis both grow on Roraima tepui, so at first they appear same species with difference in size due to favourable/unfavourable conditions.
Endemic to Roraima and to me a peculiar plant as it is one of the few plants I recall having such a flat growth! Looking at it from the side, a perfect specimen could be just a line – that is how flat it is! Only the flower buds break this flatness.
To add to this peculiarity, the Pemon indians have found it to be a great toy or rather a diversion when they are waiting for their trekkers! They simply find a well formed fresh leaf, detach it and throw it “overboard” and into the strong updrafts of the Roraima walls. Even though the leaf could be quite heavy (more than 100g), the wind will propell it forcibly upwards like a rotor blade of a helicopter – or the seed of a maple tree.
Of the several leaves that I and the Pemon threw into the updrafts, none fell to the ground below! They were all pushed far up in the air. Eventually the wind weakens as it can move unhindered over the plateau and thus they fell on the ground of Roraima – to be re-used.
Last updated on 8 November 2024
