The Palmetto
In almost all the lower llanos, where water accumulates either temporarily or permanently, we can appreciate the appearance of the palmetto as a biological community or landscape element of singular importance. Without doubt, the climatic regime of the llanos, with alternating dry and rainy periods every six months, makes it difficult for living creatures to live under the influence of those cyclic changes. The palmettos, conformed by the Palma Llanera or the Palma Moriche, in fact occupy the lowest and floodable areas of the plains. The Palma Llanera lives in areas that are below water during six months and six months dry. They never live in permanently dry places neither permanently under water. The Moriches, on the other hand, need to grow in a permanently flooded environment. These palms are useful to the man of the plains: the palma llanera contributes fence poles for man made fences, dry leaves for the roofs of housings, fruits for foraging animals; the Moriche, on the other hand, stands out for its abundant and fleshy fruits and for its leaves whose fibre is used in weaving baskets and other works like hammocks. There is an entire autochthonous indigenous basketry culture everywhere the moriche palm grows. The morichal is always waterlogged, due to a shallow water table. Even if it doesn't rain, the water level stays the same. The palmetto in turn, doesn't always carry water, unless it comes from rains or overflowing rivers. During the dry season, the palmetto savannas remain without water. This makes the flora and fauna of both communities quite different. The fauna of the morichal lives in it during the whole year. That of the palmetto migrates or takes refuge in other places during the drought or the flood, as their habits and preferences impose. |
