The Queen of Surprises

In the mountains of Peru and Bolivia grows a plant so remarkable that, were you to read it for first time on April 1st, might believe yourself victim some botanical joke. A giant – far, far taller than all its neighbors flowers but once at end perhaps 100 years life. It was snippets information like these that led Italian-born Peruvian scientist geographer Antonio Raimondi set off in search 1867, probably wondering if really existed. He found not one, notable group them, he recorded his day’s journey discovery with words infectious astonishment. So, saddle up, because we are taking too more ways one. Having been told by Mr San Martín, owner house Utcuyaco, Peru, where temporarily lodged, took guide headed east along high-country track toward Huallanca through beautiful yet austere landscape surrounding snowy peaks. About 15 km out from an altitude 3800 m, what had come for: stand giant, ground-dwelling bromeliads, largest them 1.5-m-long, sword-shaped leaves arranged starburst atop 3-m-tall trunk, growing above flower spike thrusting highest 20,000 up 10 m into air. “It is difficult give idea sensation caused presence this high cold place”, wrote 1874 work El Perú (Volume I; Lima, Peru: Imprenta del Estado), “…where nature monotonous dead; soil barely covered little thin, dry grass…Yet here rise vigorous, robust plants, presenting single thousands colorful flowers, which, according their stage maturity, offer shades white pink purple, exuberance life variety color surprising against somber, arid surroundings. The traveler lucky enough across strange, admirable plants when flowering could detain march contemplate ecstatic while spectacle”. This “the Queen Puna”, wrote, named her Pourretia gigantea, although days she often goes name “Queen Andes”, always Puya raimondii (Figure 1). ©Ricardo Fernández Quijada Raimondi’s surprise grew greater upon performing back-of-the-envelope calculation determine number seeds produce. One main × 200 spikelets 40 per spikelet 3 cavities fruit 2 placentas cavity 135 placenta = 6,480,000 plant! And concluded such production vital. “Despite large seeds, scarce”, “with just 500 place. Providential Nature which looks continuously perpetuation species beings…has multiplied proportion possibilities have developing.” queen be, cold, thin air Andes tough chances any royal offspring reaching adulthood minimal. Generational safety can only numbers seeds. Since then, Andean monarch has given us many surprises. We now know lives elevations 4800 pollinated hummingbirds. hexose-rich nectar, good hummingbird food, also contains xylose, something neither birds nor insects or easily digest. No one sure why, why P (known) New World pentose nectar. learned much darker secret. certainly noted spiny leaves, 1-cm scimitars point backwards, forming deathtrap certain birds. paper 1980 reported 44 “thoroughly impaled” spines 17 (Can J Botany 1980; 58: 1262–68). Other articles documented thorny demise other animals, including domestic cat different raptors presumably forced way leaf cluster pursuit prey, be caught themselves “to become prey themselves”, no make directly carnivorous use creatures ensnares. That said, does stop perching even nesting among leaves…with very great care, doubt. But wait; there final, grand surprise. Open Google Maps, travel same unsurfaced road Utcuyaco Huallanca, see. Try stopping https://goo.gl/maps/qi6TVf3VCswmfJjj6, https://goo.gl/maps/txc3h4FPGAyCmbCBA, https://goo.gl/maps/5XaS7Me31qs9ewrr7, https://goo.gl/maps/ZMQ82MDfyrZ9sdGP6. your march, spectacle. Adrian Burton