La Gran Sabana - Flora and Vegetation

Flora and Vegetation

The savannas occupy undisputed first place in the diverse range of ecosystems that developed in the region. But the Gran Sabana includes a variety of scenarios. These are subject to a complex mix of climatic and ecological conditions ranging from hot lowlands to the high cold mountains. Because of this, it have developed a considerable number of plant species adapted to its ecosystems. The vegetation is characterized by be particular in the region and builds on very acid soils, derived from the decomposition of the sandstones.

The savannas and gallery forests, are situated along the courses of rivers and streams that traverse the savannahs. These forests have a very varied vegetation where there are trees, shrubs, guacos, epiphytes and the Moriche Palm Mauritia flexuosa. Shrubs rarely exceed 2–3 meters high. Its leaves are mostly thick, probably due to lack of nutrients in the soil, and its acidity. La Gran Sabana has variety of grasses. Because the ground has many rocks and is sandy, means that the grasses are not suitable to feed any livestock, whether goat, sheep or bovine. The most important plant families are Theaceae, Humiriaceae, Ericaceae, Compositae, Aquifoliaceae, Burseraceae, Sapotaceae. Among the most high, it should be emphasized Rutaceae the Spathelia Fruticosa with unbranched stems up to four meters, and a tuft of compound leafs at the apex.

On the summits of the tepuis, despite the hostile environment (especially on Mount Roraima), there is a wide variety of plants, ranging from 20 to 30 centimeters to four meters high. In the turbulent rivers and in the many waterfalls, plants grow on the rocks peculiar carpets that are green or tan. These are Spermatophyte plants of the family Podostemaceae. Between 600 to 1,200 meters above sea level begins to observe the submontane evergreen forests ombrophilous, upper-middle-high (20-30m) thick and well developed understory. From the 1,200 meters to 2,000 meters at the foot of the cliffs within large tepui grow ombrophilous montane forests evergreens, including low tepui forests above 1,700 m. These form dense communities of medium to high altitudes, with undergrowth closed, sometimes with many epiphytes. At the summit of the Auyantepui and the Massif Chimantá there are several kinds of plants do not grow anywhere else in the world, such as gender Ayensua (family Bromeliaceae), Tepuia (Ericaceae), Mallophyton (Melastomataceae), Coryphothamnus and Aphanocarpus (Rubiaceae), and finally Arimantaea and Achnopogon (Asteraceae). Many of the rarest species are found on exposed sandstone formations open. Furthermore, in shady and protected beneath the rocks and small cavities, are achieved endemic ferns of the genus Hymenophyllopsis and Pterozonium. The flora has been one of the most important attractions for botanical studies, found insectivorous plant communities belonging to the genera Heliamphora, Drosera and Utricularia. These live in the thin layer of soil resting directly on the bedrock.