The soil on this part of Pantanal (between Corumbá and Miranda) is in many places fine sand – just like a desert or a beach.
Just after a couple of hundred metres on the private road leading to Pousada Xaraés you’ll encounter the deep sand – only passable by large trucks and 4x4s. It was here I first noticed the “sandy” flora in bloom.
After millennia of floods, each annual flood bringing a load of fine silt and particles from afar, the accumulation of sand is sufficient in some places that specific plant species have adapted to this type of soil. Most of the plants are very small, and you must use a magnifying glass to even see some of the inflorescences!
The leaves of all but one plant were severely damaged by insects, and looked like this one or much worse!
Native range of heliotropium indicum is South America.
Last updated on 8 November 2024
