AUYAN AND RORAIMA, ISLANDS IN THE SKY

The Guayana region is one of the most important biodiversity and endemism reserves all over the world. Located in the northeast of South America, between the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, covers the southernmost tip of Venezuela, the three Guyanas (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana), northern Brazil, and a small portion of southeastern Colombia . The landscape is characterised by the presence of high mountains in the shape of a table, called tepuyes. The sum of the surfaces of all the tepuyes summits is a discontinuous area of about 5000 km2 with altitudes ranging between 1500 and 3000 masl and is called Pantepui. In these summits lives over 2300 plant species, 42% of them are endemic to the Pantepui region while 25% are endemisms located on top of some tepuyes. In 2007 and 2009 I had the opportunity to climb their summits and illustrate some of their botanical treasures.

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The Guayana region is one of the most important biodiversity and endemism reserves all over the world. Located in the northeast of South America, between the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, covers the southernmost tip of Venezuela, the three Guyanas (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana), northern Brazil, and a small portion of southeastern Colombia . The landscape is characterised by the presence of high mountains in the shape of a table, called tepuyes. The sum of the surfaces of all the tepuyes summits is a discontinuous area of about 5000 km2 with altitudes ranging between 1500 and 3000 masl and is called Pantepui. In these summits lives over 2300 plant species, 42% of them are endemic to the Pantepui region while 25% are endemisms located on top of some tepuyes. In 2007 and 2009 I had the opportunity to climb their summits and illustrate some of their botanical treasures.
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE
Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE
Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus,  ERICACEAE
Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE
Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE
Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE
Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE
Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Brocchinia reducta, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Drosera kaieteurensis & Drosera roraimae, DROSERACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Genlisea roraimensis, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2008 Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009

The Guayana region is one of the most important biodiversity and endemism reserves all over the world. Located in the northeast of South America, between the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, covers the southernmost tip of Venezuela, the three Guyanas (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana), northern Brazil, and a small portion of southeastern Colombia . The landscape is characterised by the presence of high mountains in the shape of a table, called tepuyes. The sum of the surfaces of all the tepuyes summits is a discontinuous area of about 5000 km2 with altitudes ranging between 1500 and 3000 masl and is called Pantepui. In these summits lives over 2300 plant species, 42% of them are endemic to the Pantepui region while 25% are endemisms located on top of some tepuyes. In 2007 and 2009 I had the opportunity to climb their summits and illustrate some of their botanical treasures.
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE
Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE
Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus,  ERICACEAE
Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE
Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE
Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE
Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE
Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Brocchinia reducta, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Drosera kaieteurensis & Drosera roraimae, DROSERACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Genlisea roraimensis, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2008 Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009

The Guayana region is one of the most important biodiversity and endemism reserves all over the world. Located in the northeast of South America, between the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, covers the southernmost tip of Venezuela, the three Guyanas (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana), northern Brazil, and a small portion of southeastern Colombia . The landscape is characterised by the presence of high mountains in the shape of a table, called tepuyes. The sum of the surfaces of all the tepuyes summits is a discontinuous area of about 5000 km2 with altitudes ranging between 1500 and 3000 masl and is called Pantepui. In these summits lives over 2300 plant species, 42% of them are endemic to the Pantepui region while 25% are endemisms located on top of some tepuyes. In 2007 and 2009 I had the opportunity to climb their summits and illustrate some of their botanical treasures.
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE
Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE
Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus,  ERICACEAE
Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE
Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE
Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE
Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE
Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Brocchinia reducta, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Drosera kaieteurensis & Drosera roraimae, DROSERACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Genlisea roraimensis, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2008 Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009

The Guayana region is one of the most important biodiversity and endemism reserves all over the world. Located in the northeast of South America, between the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, covers the southernmost tip of Venezuela, the three Guyanas (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana), northern Brazil, and a small portion of southeastern Colombia . The landscape is characterised by the presence of high mountains in the shape of a table, called tepuyes. The sum of the surfaces of all the tepuyes summits is a discontinuous area of about 5000 km2 with altitudes ranging between 1500 and 3000 masl and is called Pantepui. In these summits lives over 2300 plant species, 42% of them are endemic to the Pantepui region while 25% are endemisms located on top of some tepuyes. In 2007 and 2009 I had the opportunity to climb their summits and illustrate some of their botanical treasures.
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE
Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE
Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus,  ERICACEAE
Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE
Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE
Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE
Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE
Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Brocchinia reducta, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Drosera kaieteurensis & Drosera roraimae, DROSERACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Genlisea roraimensis, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2008 Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009

The Guayana region is one of the most important biodiversity and endemism reserves all over the world. Located in the northeast of South America, between the basins of the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, covers the southernmost tip of Venezuela, the three Guyanas (Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana), northern Brazil, and a small portion of southeastern Colombia . The landscape is characterised by the presence of high mountains in the shape of a table, called tepuyes. The sum of the surfaces of all the tepuyes summits is a discontinuous area of about 5000 km2 with altitudes ranging between 1500 and 3000 masl and is called Pantepui. In these summits lives over 2300 plant species, 42% of them are endemic to the Pantepui region while 25% are endemisms located on top of some tepuyes. In 2007 and 2009 I had the opportunity to climb their summits and illustrate some of their botanical treasures.
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE
Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE
Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE
Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus,  ERICACEAE
Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE
Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE
Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE
Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE
Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE
Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE
Acineta alticola, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Brocchinia reducta, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia humboldtii LENTIBULARIACEAE, over Brocchinia tatei. BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Catopsis berteroniana, BROMELIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Drosera kaieteurensis & Drosera roraimae, DROSERACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Genlisea roraimensis, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora minor, SARRACENIACEAE over Cladonia confusa, CLADONIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Heliamphora nutans, SARRACENIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Ledothamnus guyanensis & Ledothamnus luteus, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Mauritia flexuosa, ARECACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Orectanthe sceptrum, XYRIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tepuia tatei, ERICACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Tococa guianensis, MELASTOMATACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Trigonidium obtusum, ORCHIDACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2008 Utricularia humboldtii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009 Utricularia quelchii, LENTIBULARIACEAE Original illustration, 480x330 mm. 2009