Abstract

PICO-V, Adriana. Ex situ conservation of Puya loca Madriñan (Bromeliaceae), and second report in Colombia. Rev. acad. colomb. cienc. exact. fis. nat. [online]. 2016, vol.40, n.157, pp.637-643. ISSN 0370-3908.  https://doi.org/10.18257/raccefyn.374.

Puya loca Madriñan has been found in two locations in the páramos of the Eastern Andes Cordillera in Colombia. The first location is the Chingaza páramo complex (the type location), northeast from Bogotá, and the second is a new location for the species in the municipality of Chipaque, southeast from Bogotá. This species grows in well-drained soils, in rock cracks with little substrate or in non-vascular plants, and fully exposed to sun and wind. In this study, the natural habitat conditions were evaluated in the second location and then ex situ experiments were carried out in the Jardín Botánico de Bogotá (JBB). The seeds viability was established using germination rates, growth traits, and seedlings development in a period of 1.3 years. The germination in this species was regulated by light (positive photoblastic), and the seeds conserved for 14 months under natural conditions germinated in ex situ conditions between 19 and 30 days after planted (75% germination rate). The 35 days-old seedlings formed 1 or 2 leaves and after 61 days the same seedlings formed 2 to 3 leaves. After 15 months, seedlings planted in 6 cm of peat developed between 5 to 7 leaves and reached a diameter of 6 to 7 cm, while seedlings planted in 2,5 to 3 cm of peat got 4 to 6 leaves and 3 to 4 cm of diameter, and grew with less vigor. At present, we are conserving 100 seedlings to study the ex situ cycle for this species. Eventually these individuals will be reintroduced in their natural habitat.

Keywords : Puya; Bromeliads; Cardón; Páramo; Sexual propagation; Colombia.

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