What's so special about D.meristocaulis???

From: Fernando Rivadavia Lopes (fe_rivadavia@hotmail.com)
Date: Sat Feb 27 1999 - 15:22:09 PST 

Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 15:22:09 PST
From: "Fernando Rivadavia Lopes" <fe_rivadavia@hotmail.com>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg608$foo@default>
Subject: What's so special about D.meristocaulis???

To Fillippo and all who might be wondering,

        So what the hell is so special about D.meristocaulis??? Why do I
blab on and on about it in my Neblina Expedition accounts? Why did I
waste so much money and risk my life because of a single Drosera
species?

        OK, forgetting the fact that I'm already somewhat crazy, I'm
also nuts about Drosera in general, especially when it comes to
searching for rare and exotic ones in the wild. And D.meristocaulis is
just about as rare and and exotic as you can get in the Drosera world.
Why?

        First of all, it is endemic to a single mountain. And not just
any mountain: Mt.Neblina! This is simply one of the most isolated and
difficult to reach places on this planet.

        Second, it has what all cool Drosera have: a long stem! And not
just any stem, but one that may divide a few times along its more or
less 40cm length.

        Third, it's one of those living fossils or relic species: it has
three undivided styles! Whoopee, I'm sure all you non-taxonomists out
there are screaming with excitement! So who cares if it has 3, 30, or
300 styles and if they're divided or not?? Well, for those of us
interested in the evolution of the genus Drosera, the three undivided
styles of D.meristocaulis suggest that it may actually be more closely
related to the Australian pygmy Drosera than to any other New World,
African, European, or Asian Drosera species. This hypothesis is
furthermore supported by the large silvery stipules and small leaves of
D.meristocaulis.

       So what?!?!? OK, I know this taxonomic stuff can be terribly
unexciting to some, although I find it hard to understand, but if the
two other points in favor of D.meristocaulis above don't make sense to
you, or even excite you just a little, then I suggest you change
hobbies!! :):):)

      Anyways, I'm sure many of you understand perferctly how addictive
this stuff is, and how frustrating it is to go through so much
expectation. money, and risk only not to find the damn plant -- and I
didn't find D.meristocaulis!!!! AAAAARRRGH!!

Fernando Rivadavia
Sao Paulo, Brazil

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