Flowering of yellow ipês transforms the landscape in the Amazon summer ? The arrival of the Amazon summer brings a visual transformation to Rio Branco. The person responsible for the change is the ipê, whose flowering has colored the urban landscape and has caught the attention of those passing through the streets of the capital of Acre. During the flowering period, the falling petals still form a yellow carpet on the ground, prolonging the natural spectacle for a few days. ? Join the g1 AC channel on WhatsApp Anyone who walks along the city's central medians and main avenues has already noticed that the rush of everyday life has taken on a natural and even poetic frame. Yellow ipês bloom in Rio Branco at the beginning of the Amazon summer and change the landscape Photo: Val Fernandes/Secom In addition to their environmental value, the flowering of ipês arouses the interest of those who pass through the streets of the capital. Financial consultant Daniel Albuquerque took advantage of the sunny morning to register one of the ipês trees near Palácio Rio Branco. "Today the sky is very blue and sunny, so I took a photo to make a post that will be really cool," he said. Furthermore, the visual spectacle also enchants tourists who visit the state of Acre with the beauty of the tree. According to architect Ana Rita, from Porto Alegre (RS), seeing an ipê up close has enchanted her since she arrived in Acre. "It caught my attention from the day I arrived. Today I was walking through the square and I thought: 'I'm going to have to take a photo of this wonderful thing'. There isn't an ipê tree like that in the South. We stop, take a photo and look at it. It's magnificent and majestic," he said. Doctor of botany Davi Borges das Chagas explained that ipês bloom in different colors and at different times. According to him, flowering occurs precisely during the dry season so that the seeds can be dispersed with the arrival of the rains. According to the researcher, ipê seeds have small "wings", which facilitate transport by the wind. After falling, they remain in the soil for up to four months, waiting for the start of the rainy season to germinate. "They flower in the dry season so that, when the rainy season arrives, they disperse these seeds and are able to propagate the species", explained the researcher. In addition to the visual spectacle, the flowering reminds us of the importance of natural cycles and the preservation of species that are part of the Amazon's biodiversity. In the Amazon region, ipe trees can reach 20 to 30 meters in height, they grow in search of sunlight amid dense forest. The flower caught the attention of a tourist couple from Porto Alegre Photo: Rede Amazônica Acre ??Symbol of Brazil The researcher also highlights that while the Brazilwood tree is the country's symbol tree, the ipê flower is the symbol of Brazil, which has 27 species, 15 of which are endemic, that is, they only occur in our country. Ipe only blooms when there is a lack of water, which coincides perfectly with the Amazonian summer. The yellow ipê flower was officially recognized as a national symbol in 1961, through a presidential decree. The choice took into account the presence of the species in all Brazilian regions and its importance among the country's native flowers. In Acre, the tree also lends its name to Parque Ipê, one of the best-known public spaces in the capital, where specimens of the species are part of the urban landscape and even transform the public space into an 'instagrammable' environment. Ipê tree on the left and yellow faveira on the right Reproduction ? Not every yellow tree is an ipê Despite the similarity, botanist Davi Borges also explains that not every tree with yellow flowers is an ipê. According to the researcher, faveira also flourishes during drought and adopts a very similar reproductive strategy. According to the researcher, the main difference is in the flowers and color. While ipê has larger flowers and a more intense yellow, close to gold, faveira has smaller flowers, thinner branches and a lighter shade of yellow. "People sometimes get confused. But the beauty is unique in all these species. The more flowering trees, the better for all of us", he highlighted. The differences between ipê and faveira also include other characteristics such as the roots and the properties of the wood. While ipê has compound leaves that fall almost completely before flowering. The faveira has thin leaves (bipinnate) forming a much wider and more spread out canopy. Furthermore, faveira has umbrella-shaped flowers, while ipê produces brightly colored bell-shaped flowers and fruits that look like long, thin pods. The faveira produces small flowers gathered in "spheres" or spikes and fruits that are large, flat, woody pods. However, whether it is ipê or faveira, the contrast with the predominant green of the Amazon heralds the driest period of the year, which gains strength between August and September and transforms the urban landscape of Rio Branco. Review Acre’s news programs