Photo Essay Photo Essay

Photographer: Unspecified Photographer

Selection: Controversial

Bonnetia maguireorum (Bonnetiaceae), a gregarious, thick-stemmed species endemic to the Sierra de la Neblina. Like Vellozia tubiflora, it appears to have corky, fire-resistant stems, but it occurs around 2000 meters elevation in areas where fires are rare. It is controversial whether infrequent naturally occurring fires on tepui summits play an important role in selecting species able to survive and persist here.