Jacobina, Bahia
In August 2003, I visited Jacobina for the very first time. Following a suggestion, the trip had a purpose: I was to locate the habitat of the elusive Orthophytum navioides discovered by Mulford and Racine Foster in 1939. It appears there was great curiosity in the bromeliad community – thus the suggestion - as to its habitat, of which there was no detailed information available, save for a vague remark in L. B. Smith’s description of the species:
"Type. Foster 90 (holotype, GH; isotypes R, US), on perpendicular rocks above stream in isolated ravine, Jacobina, Bahia, Brazil, 16 Jun 1939.
Distribution. Known from the type collection only."
Since Jacobina is at the Espinhaço range and surrounded by hills of different chains – meaning they are all over! – the search started in the right way, that is, as a big challenge! I was sure to find thousands of "perpendicular rocks above stream in isolated ravine!" But not all was lost. I had photos of the species taken from the FCBS site which I could show to the locals for identification and possible whereabouts. One has to start somewhere, right?
A curiosity: did you know that all Orthophytum navioides in circulation are offspring of the individuals collected by Foster and his wife more than sixty years ago? This explains the note: "Distribution. Known from the type collection only." Well, the situation remains to this day for I have never divulged the geographical coordinates of the habitats. Yes, habitats in plural, for I have registered three distinct populations in Jacobina and another 100kms out of town, after four trips to the area along the years.
Before leaving Rio I had homework to do: dig out information about Foster´s visit to Brazil and facts about Jacobina. The first was useless because his book Brazil, Orchid of the Tropics - 1945, was long out of print (and unavailable) and as to the second task I had to rely on whatever information I could find on the internet, which also proved to be of no practical use. What to do? It´s full steam ahead to get the job done! Is not a good challenge invigorating? So I left Rio de Janeiro with lots of enthusiasm…soon to be rewarded!
When Mulford and Racine Foster visited Jacobina in 1939, the city occupied an enormous territory later subdivided into several new municipalities. So where to start searching? Whom to contact? A couple of days would suffice?
I will save the details of how the habitats were found. Suffice to say it wasn´t easy. I owe its discovery to my guide and his obstinate persistence. The photos you are about to see are being divulged for the very first time. They were taken in 2003 and over the years. This is a humble homage to Mulford B. Foster and Racine Sarasy Foster to whom we owe so much.
I acknowledge the usual kind assistance of Harry E. Luther (the bromeliad world will miss you, Harry!), Derek Butcher, Marlon Machado, Domingos Cardoso, Leonardo Versieux, Matheus Nogueira. Howard Frank and Adroaldo Araujo.
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Abraços, Oscar
P.S.: August 2011 I sent a message to Michael Andreas - webmaster of FCBS.org – detailing my plans for this presentation. I mentioned that the book Brazil, Orchid of the Tropics - 1945 was long out of print and how important it would be for this article if I could get a copy of it. To my surprise, Michael immediately responded: "I have an extra copy of Fosters book which I want to send to you!". Excellent news! Soon after I received the book and a beautiful card from Karen & Michael Andreas. Because of their generosity, this presentation is immensely enriched with the quotations extracted from the book. Racine´s narrative is splendid, contagious, easy to read and a precious source of varied information about the country, flora, habits, people, and, of course, the couple´s wonderment in exploring Brazil in the 30´s. Pure magic, dear reader! Why isn’t such an important source of information available in digital form? One can´t even find a review of it in the Internet. This is a challenge for the BSI in honor of the prestigious couple of American naturalists.
More info: http://journal.bsi.org/V06/4/
Harry E. Luther: http://www.bsi.org/brom_info/harry_departs.htmlhttp://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20121018/ARTICLE/121019533
Photos by Oscar Ribeiro
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) Arriving in Jacobina |
) Arriving in Jacobina |
) Aechmea aquilega |
) Aechmea aquilega |
) Aechmea aquilega |
) Aechmea bromelifolia |
) Aechmea bromelifolia |
) Acanthaceae |
) Aechmea bromelifolia |
) Aechmea lingulatoides and Melocactus |
) Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Aechmea lingulatoides red |
) Aechmea lingulatoides red |
) Aechmea lingulatoides red |
) Aechmea nudicaulis |
) Aechmea nudicaulis |
) Alstroemeria plantaginea |
) Ananas |
) Ananas |
) Ananas comosus |
) Ananas comosus |
.jpg', 'Anu-branco (Guira guira)', '1280', '831')) Anu-branco (Guira guira) |
.jpg', 'Anu-branco (Guira guira)', '1280', '800')) Anu-branco (Guira guira) |
) Arrojadoa penicillata |
) Arrojadoa penicillata |
) Arrojadoa penicillata |
', '1280', '857')) Arvore |
', '1280', '857')) Arvore |
', '1280', '857')) Arvore |
', '1280', '857')) Arvore |
', '1024', '768')) Arvore |
', '1024', '768')) Arvore |
', '1280', '857')) Arvore |
.jpg', 'Babacu (Arecaceae)', '638', '850')) Babacu (Arecaceae) |
.jpg', 'Babacu fruto (Arecaceae)', '1024', '768')) Babacu fruto (Arecaceae) |
.jpg', 'Barriguda (Ceiba glaziovii)', '569', '850')) Barriguda (Ceiba glaziovii) |
) Billbergia porteana and Ortophytum navioides |
) Billbergia porteana |
 Billbergia porteana |
) Billbergia porteana |
) Billbergia porteana |
) Billbergia porteana |
) Billbergia species |
) Billbergia species |
', '1280', '857')) Boa sorte! |
) Borboleta |
) Borboleta |
) Borboleta |
) Bromelia |
) Bromelia |
) Bromelia |
) Bromelia |
) Bromelia |
) Bromelia laciniosa |
) Bromelia laciniosa |
) Bromelia laciniosa |
) Bromelia laciniosa |
) Bromelia species |
) Bromeliaceae |
) Bromeliaceae |
) Bromeliaceae |
) Bromeliaceae |
) Bromeliaceae |
1.jpg', 'Caatinga (White forest)', '1280', '857')) Caatinga (White forest) |
) Cabombaceae |
) Cachoeira dos Papaya |
) Cachoeira dos Papaya |
) Cachoeira |
) Cachoeira |
) Cachoeira |
) Cachoeira Veu de Noiva |
) Cachoeira Veu de Noiva |
) Cachoeira Veu de Noiva |
) Cachoeira Veu de Noiva |
) Cactacea and Hohenbergia catingae |
) Cactacea and Hohenbergia catingae |
) Cactacea and Neoglaziovia |
.jpg', 'Caju (Anacardium occidentale)', '1280', '857')) Caju (Anacardium occidentale) |
) Carro de boi |
) Casa |
) Casa |
) Cassia fistula |
) Centrosema coriaceum |
) Cerrado |
) Cerrado |
) Cerrado |
) Cerrado |
.jpg', 'Cipo de Sao Joao (Pyrostegi)', '1070', '785')) Cipo de Sao Joao (Pyrostegi) |
) Cottendorfia in flower |
) Cottendorfia in flower |
) Cryptanthus bahianus |
) Cryptanthus warren-loosei |
) Cryptanthus warren-loosei |
) Cryptanthus warren-loosei |
) Diversity |
) Diversity |
) Diversity |
) Diversity |
) Diversity |
) Diversity |
) Diversity |
) Diversity |
) Diversity |
) Diversity |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Encholirium spectabile |
) Epifitas and Aechmea aquilega |
) Epifitas and Billbergia porteana |
) Epifitas and Aechmea aquilega |
) Epifitas and Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Epifitas and Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Epifitas and Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Epifitas and Tillandsia |
) Espinhos |
) Estrategia |
) Estrategia |
) Extraction |
) Feira |
) Feira |
) Feira |
) Feira |
) Feira |
) Ferruginous water |
) Ferruginous water |
) Ferruginous water |
) Ferruginous water |
) Filhote de Jararaca |
) Filhote de Jararaca |
) Flor vermelha |
.jpg', 'Fruta pao (Artocarpus incisa)', '1280', '803')) Fruta pao (Artocarpus incisa) |
.jpg', 'Fruta pao (Artocarpus incisa)', '1280', '857')) Fruta pao (Artocarpus incisa) |
) Gafanhoto |
) Gafanhoto |
) Gafanhoto |
.jpg', 'Generous land (Carica papaya)', '1280', '857')) Generous land (Carica papaya) |
.jpg', 'Generous land (Mangifera indica)', '1280', '857')) Generous land (Mangifera indica) |
) Generous land |
.jpg', 'Generous land (Carica papaya)', '1280', '857')) Generous land (Carica papaya) |
) Goodbye little friend |
.jpg', 'Heroi do sertao (Equus africanus asinus)', '1024', '685')) Heroi do sertao (Equus africanus asinus) |
) Hohenbergia catingae |
 Hohenbergia catingae |
) Hohenbergia catingae |
) Hohenbergia catingae |
) Hohenbergia catingae |
) Hohenbergia catingae |
) Hohenbergia catingae |
) Hohenbergia catingae |
) Hohenbergia catingae |
) Idenificar |
) Igreja |
.jpg', 'Ipe branco (Tabebuia roseo-alba)', '1280', '857')) Ipe branco (Tabebuia roseo-alba) |
.jpg', 'Ipe branco (Tabebuia roseo-alba)', '1280', '857')) Ipe branco (Tabebuia roseo-alba) |
) Itaitu |
) Jacobina Serra do Tombador |
) Jacobina |
) Jacobina |
) Jacobina |
) Jacobina |
.jpg', 'Jaqueira (Artocarpus hetero)', '1124', '760')) Jaqueira (Artocarpus hetero) |
) Jaqueira |
) Jaqueira |
) Landscape |
) Landscape |
) Landscape |
) Landscape |
) Landscape |
) Landscape |
) Landscape |
) Landscape |
) Lavadeiras |
', '1280', '857')) Lavadeiras |
', '1280', '803')) Lavadeiras |
) Making friends |
) Making friends |
) Making friends |
) Mandevilla bahiensis |
) Mandevilla bahiensis |
) Mata |
) Mata |
) Mata |
) Mata |
) Mata |
) Mata |
) Mata |
) Mata |
) Melastomataceae |
) Melocactus concinnus |
) Melocactus concinnus |
) Melocactus oreas ssp. cremnophilus |
) Melocactus oreas ssp. cremnophilus |
) Melocactus and Orchidaceae |
) Melocactus and Orchidaceae |
) Melocactus and Orchidaceae |
) Melocactus |
) Melocactus |
', '1260', '860')) Melocactus duas cabecas |
', '1280', '857')) Melocactus duas cabecas |
.jpg', 'Mico (Callitrichinae)', '1280', '857')) Mico (Callitrichinae) |
) Minuscule creature |
) Monkeys |
) Neoglaziovia variegata |
) Neoglaziovia variegata |
) Neoglaziovia variegata |
) Neoglaziovia variegata |
) Neoglaziovia variegata |
) Neoglaziovia variegata |
) Neoglaziovia variegata |
) Neoglaziovia variegata |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides |
) Orthophytum navioides and Vriesea lancifolia |
) Orthophytum navioides and Vriesea lancifolia |
) Orthophytum navioides and Vriesea lancifolia |
) Opuntia ficus-indica |
_Not_native.jpg', 'Opuntia (Not Native)', '1024', '685')) Opuntia (Not Native) |
.jpg', 'Opuntia (Cactaceae)', '1024', '685')) Opuntia (Cactaceae) |
.jpg', 'Opuntia (Cactaceae)', '1280', '857')) Opuntia (Cactaceae) |
) Orchidaceae |
) Orchidaceae |
) Orchidaceae |
) Orchidaceae |
) Orchidaceae |
) Orchidaceae |
) Orchidaceae |
) Orchidaceae |
) Orquidaceae |
) Orquidaceae |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Paisagem |
) Palmeira |
) Palmeira |
) Palmeira |
) Passiflora edmundoi |
) Passiflora luetzelburgii |
) Pilosocereus gounellei |
) Pilosocereus gounellei |
) Pilosocereus gounellei and Neoglaziovia |
) Pilosocereus gounellei |
) Pilosocereus pentaedrophorus |
) Poco azul |
) Poco azul |
) Portulaca sp. |
) Racineae spiculosa |
) Racineae spiculosa |
) Rich soil |
) Ruinas |
) Semente |
) Sempre viva |
.jpg', 'Sisal (Agave sisalana)', '1024', '768')) Sisal (Agave sisalana) |
.jpg', 'Sisal (Agave sisalana)', '1280', '860')) Sisal (Agave sisalana) |
) Soil |
.jpg', 'Solandra sp. (Solanaceae)', '1280', '834')) Solandra sp. (Solanaceae) |
) Solanum sp. |
) Stachytarphaeta sp. |
) Stephanocereus luetzelburgii |
) Stephanocereus luetzelburgii |
) Tacinga inamoena |
) Tacinga inamoena |
) Tacinga inamoena |
) Tacinga palmadora |
) Tacinga palmadora |
) Teia em funil |
 Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia juncea and Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Tillandsia juncea and Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Tillandsia juncea and Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Tillandsia juncea and Aechmea lingulatoides |
) Tillandsia juncea |
) Tillandsia juncea |
) Tillandsia juncea |
) Tillandsia recurvata and usneoides |
) Tillandsia recurvata and usneoides |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa and Orthophytum navioides |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia heubergeri |
) Tillandsia heubergeri |
) Tillandsia heubergeri |
) Tillandsia loliacea |
) Tillandsia loliacea |
) Tillandsia loliacea |
) Tillandsia loliacea |
) Tillandsia recurvata |
) Tillandsia recurvata |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia and Orthophytum navioides |
) Tillandsia and Orthophytum navioides |
) Tillandsia on the wire |
) Tillandsia on the wire |
) Tillandsia recurvata |
) Tillandsia recurvata |
) Tillandsia recurvata |
) Tillandsia recurvata |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia sp. |
) Tillandsia streptocarpa |
) Tillandsia tenuifolia |
) Tillandsia tenuifolia |
) Turnera |
) Ventura |
) Ventura |
) Ventura |
) Ventura |
) Ventura |
) Ventura |
) Ventura |
) Vriesea lancifolia |
) Vriesea lancifolia |
) Vriesea lancifolia |
) Vriesea lancifolia |
) Vriesea lancifolia |
) Vriesea lancifolia |
) Vriesea lancifolia |
) Vriesea lancifolia |
) Vriesea sp. |
) Vriesea sp. |
) Vriesea exaltata |
) Vriesea exaltata |
) Vriesea exaltata |
) Vriesea exaltata |
) Jacobina |
Chapter 8 - Bahia
Chapter 8, Part II - Estância Bandeirantes, Jacobina, Bahia
Chapter 8, Part III - Past, Present, Future
https://fcbs.org/ © Copyright Notice: All photos copyright Oscar Ribeiro, Bromeliário Imperialis