A few of the prominent plants observed on our outings.

Transcription

1 Jungle Rivers of South America Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago March 26 April 10, 2012 Compiled by Peter Zika, Conrad Weston, Dennis Wille, and Pepper Trail A few of the prominent plants observed on our outings. Key 1 - Amazon River Delta, Brazil ~ March Isle du Salut, French Guiana ~ April Paramaribo, Suriname ~ April Essequibo River / Kaieteur Falls / Saxacalli, Guyana ~ April Man-of-War Bay / Little Tobago / Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago ~ April 7-9 Alismataceae (Water Plantain Family) Sagittaria sp. arrowhead 4 white flowered aquatic emergent Anacardiaceae (Sumac Family) Anacardium occidentale cashew 3,4 edible "apple" & seed Mangifera indica mango 1,2,3,5 large shade tree, cult. Spondias mombin hog plum 1,2,3 riverside tree, edible yellow fruits Spondias sp. spondias 3 edible green fruit Apiaceae (Carrot Family) Hydrocotyle sp. pennywort 5 beach Apocynaceae (Dogbane Family) Allamanda cathartica allamanda, golden trumpet 1,4,5 yellow fl, spiny fr, showy vine Catheranthus roseus Madagascar periwinkle 1 pink fl, cult, medicinal Araceae (Arum Family) Anthurium sp. anthurium 1 large simple lf, epiphyte Colocasia esculentum taro, dasheen 3 edible tuber in markets and the countryside Dieffenbachia sp. dumb cane 4 white mottled lvs Montrichardia arborescens montrichardia 1,4 hot white fl, heart-shaped lf Philodendron sp. split-leaf philodendron 4 white fl, lvs with holes, liana Pistia stratiotes water lettuce 1,2 pig-fodder, floating cabbage-like aquatic Araliaceae (Ginseng Family) Schefflera sp. schefflera 4 fast-growing early-successional tree Arecaceae (Palm Family) Astrocaryum sp. star-nut palm 4 wide flattened spines Bactris gasipaes peach palm, pupuha 1 edible red fr, Belem market Bactris sp. peach palm 3 edible yellow fruit Cocos nucifera coconut 2,3,5 planted on St. Joseph Island Desmoncus sp. matamba 4 viny, spiny, climbs with hooks, red fr Euterpe oleracea acai, assai 1,4 palm hearts, ice cream & desserts Manicaria saccata sheath palm 1 warty 3-lobed fr, entire lf Mauritia flexuosa buriti, mauritia 1,4 fibers, edible scaly fr, fan lv 1

2 Asteraceae (Sunflower Family) Spilanthes oleracea jambu spinach-like, w/ oxalix acid crystals Bignoniaceae (Catalpa Family) Crescentia cujete callabash 1,5 smooth green fruit large as a basketball Tabebuia heterophylla pink poui or trunpet-tree 5 large tree on waterfall trail Bixaceae (Lipstick Tree Family) Bixa orellana lipstick tree 1,4 orange seed coat a dye in cosmetics, butter Bombacaceae (Baobob Family) Ceiba pentandra kapok 1,3,4 emergent tree, buttressed base, fluffy fruits Ochroma pyramidale balsa 5 large lobed leaves and erect slender pods Pachira aquatica shaving brush tree 1,4 riverine, football-shaped pods Boraginaceae (Forget-me-not Family) Cordia collococca red manjack, clammy cherry 5 waterfall trail Bromeliaceae (Pineapple Family) Bromeliaceae spp. epiphytic bromeliads 1,4,5 Tillandsia sp. air plant, bromeliad 3,4,5 silvery foliage is drought resistant Cactaceae (Cactus Family) Cereus sp. night-blooming cereus 5 epiphytic Rhipsalis sp. shoestring or mistletoe cactus 3,5 epiphytic, white berries Campanulaceae (Lobelia Family) Centropogon sp. centropogon 5 red hummingbird-pollinated flowers Caricaceae (Papaya Family) Carica papaya papaya 3,4,5 edible fruit used as meat tenderizer Casuarinaceae (Ironwood Family) Casuarina equisetifolia Australian pine 5 beach Cecropiaceae (Cecropia Family) Cecropia sp. cecropia 1,2,3,4,5 fast-growing trees harboring stinging ants Clusiaceae (Mangosteen Family) Clusia spp. rose-apple 4,5 frt splits into slender segments Combretaceae (Indian Almond Family) Combretum spp. monkey toothbrush 1,3,4 bright orange bird pollinated flowers Combretum sp. wingseed 3 diamond-shaped flat pod Laguncularia racemosa white mangrove 5 glands on leafstalk Terminalia catappa Indian almond 1,3,5 occ in delta, introduced Commelinaceae (Spiderwort Family) Tradescantia spathacea Moses-in-the-rushes, boat lily 2 purple leaves, white flowers, Isle du Salut Convolvulaceae (Morning Glory Family) Ipomoea spp. morning glory 1,4,5 white, lilac flrd spp in delta Costaceae (Costus Family) Costus sp. costus 3,4,5 white, red or yellow flowers, spiraled leaves 2

3 Cucurbitaceae (Squash Family) Momordica charantia charantia 3 warty cucumber-like fruit in markets Cyperaceae (Sedge Family) Cyperus spp. nut sedge 1,2,3,4 common in damp sunny ground Eleocharis sp. spike rush 1,3,4 brackish shores Fimbristylis sp. fimbry 4 cespitose Rhynchospora spp. white-top sedge 5 lawns and roadsides Dilleniaceae (Dillenia Family) Dillenia sp. dillenia 4 yellow flrs, many parallel veins on leaves Droseraceae (Sundew Family) Drosera sp. sundew 4 sticky red leaves catch & eat insects, K Falls Eriocaulaceae (Pipewort Family) Eriocaulaceae spp. hatpins, pipeworts 4 K Falls in wet savannas Euphorbiaceae (Poinsettia Family) Hyeronima sp. hyeronima 5 leaves turn red when falling, rain forest trail Fabaceae (Bean Family, incl. Caesalpinioideae, Mimosoideae, & Papilionoideae) Acacia riparia riverside acacia 1,4 spiny, dense white panicles, shores, common Cassia sp. cassia, pasture killer 1 cult., others invade floodplain pastures Dioclea reflexa? sea purse 1 purple fl liana Eperua falcata bootlace tree 5 cultivated, dangling pods, native to Guyana Hymanea courbaril guapinol 3 thick-walled oblong pod Inga edulis ice cream bean 1 white edible pulp around seeds, striated pod Mucuna urens sea-bean 1 hamburger sd, hairy ridged pods, vine Peltogyne sp. purple heart 4 purple heartwood, 2-lobed lvs Pentaclethra macrolobium oilseed 4 plume fl, erect thick fruit, toxic seed Pterocarpus amazonicus pterocarpus 1,5 floating flat round 1-sd pods in panicle Tamarindus indica tamarind 3 cultivated tree, edible fruits Vigna sesquipedalis long bean 3 very long edible string bean in markets Gesneriaceae (African Violet Family) Chrysothemis pulchella chrysothemis 3 orange and yellow flowered ornamental Heliconiaceae (Heliconia Family) Heliconia spp. heliconia 4,5 forest and clearings, orange flrs Lamiaceae (Mint Family) Clerodendrum paniculatum pagoda flower 1 orange fl ornamental Lauraceae (Laurel Family) Persea americana avocado 4 cultivated, villages Lecythidaceae Brazilnut Family Bertholettia excelsa brazilnut 5 cultivated, Port of Spain Couropita guianensis cannonball tree 1 cultivated in Belem Lentibulariaceae (Bladderwort Family) Utricularia spp. bladderwort 4 carnivores, yellow or pink flrs, K Falls Loranthaceae (Mistletoe Family) 3

4 Loranthaceae sp. orange mistletoe parasitic on trees, K Falls Lycopodiaceae (Clubmoss Family) Lycopodium cernuum nodding clubmoss 4 branch tips droop Lycopodium sp. running pine 4 K Falls Lygodiaceae (Climbing Fern Family) Lygodium sp. climbing fern 4 airstrip Malpighiaceae (Miss Piggy Family) Malpighia sp. yellow flowers 4 liana, top of K Falls Malvaceae (Mallow Family) Gossypium sp. cotton 1,5 fluffy seed coat Hibiscus rosa-sinensis hibiscus 1,2,3,4,5 bright red flowers Marantaceae (Arrowroot Family) Calathea sp. calathea 4 yellow flowers, lvs like small banana Maranta sp. arrowroot 4 white flowers Marcgraviaceae (Shingleplant Family) Marcgravia sp. bejuco-de-lira 4 yellow and red fl, round fruits, liana Melastomataceae (Princess Feather Family) Tococa longissepala tocaca swollen petiole harbors ants Meliaceae (Mahogany Family) Azadirachta indica neem 3,5 Planted, native to India Swietenia mahogany 3 winged seeds, heavy pod Moraceae Mulberry Family Artocarpus altilis breadfruit 2,3,5 introduced to the Caribbean by Capt. Bligh Ficus sp. wild fig 2,3,4,5 food for birds, agouti, etc., wasp pollinated Musaceae (Banana Family) Musa acuminata banana 5 common on Tobago Myristicaceae (Nutmeg Family) Virola sp. virola 1,4,5 2-ranked leaves, red seed attracts dispersers Myrtaceae (Eucalyptus Family) Eugenia sp. Surinam cherry 3 smooth small red fruit, edible Syzygium aqueum water apple 3,4 red triangular edible fruit Syzygium jambos Malabar plum 1 red edible fruit, occ in delta Nyctaginaceae (Four-o-clock Family) Bougainvillea sp. bougainvillea 2,3,4,5 showy ornamental, native to Brazil Orchidaceae (Orchid Family) Arachnis flos-aeris hookeriana scorpion orchid 3 climbing vine Catasetum spp. orchid 3 epiphytic Dendrobium spp. green orchid 3 epiphytic Epidendrum spp. epidendrum 4 epiphytic on mangroves Ionopsis utricularioides bladderwort orchid 3 purple-flowered epiphyte Orchidaceae spp. terrestrial orchids 4,5 K Falls w/ 3 spp. 4

5 Orchidaceae sp. orchid 5 epiphytic Passifloraceae (Passionfruit Family) Passiflora spp. passionflower 1,4 bright red or purple flowers Piperaceae (Black Pepper Family) Peperomia sp. Peperomia 2 common on mossy rocks, Salvation Islands Piper sp. piper 4,5 narrow white spikes Poaceae (Grass Family) Bambusa vulgaris Asian bamboo 5 planted for construction and erosion control Echinochloa polystachya giant barnyard grass 1,3 fast-growing, floating, forms marshes Leersia sp. cutgrass 1 very sharp leaf edges Podostemaceae (Riverweed Family) Podostemaceae sp giant riverweed 4 Common aquatic in river, top of K Falls Polygonaceae (Rhubarb Family) Antigonon leptopus coral vine, queen's jewels 2,5 pink flowered ornamental vine from Mexico Coccoloba uvifera sea grape 5 sandy shores Pontederiaceae (Pickerelweed Family) Eichhornia azurea anchored water hyacinth 1 floating aquatic with runners, lilac flowers Eichhornia crassipes water hyacinth 2 floating aquatic without runners, lilac flrs Rhizophoraceae (Red Mangrove Family) Rhizophora mangle red mangrove 3,4,5 drop and prop roots arch down into the mud Rubiaceae (Coffee Family) Morinda citrifolia noni 3,5 stinky white fruit, snake oil Posoqueria sp. posoqueria 4,5 moth pollinated flrs, tube 6 inches long Psychotria sp. hot lips 4 red lip-like bracts, yellow flrs, blue frts Warscewiczia sp. chaconia, pina de gallo 5 national flower of Trinidad Rutaceae (Citrus Family) Citrus sp. lime 3 cultivated Selaginellaceae (Spikemoss Family) Selaginella sp. spikemoss 4,5 ground cover Solanaceae (Tomato Family) Solanum sp. wild tomato 4,5 purple flowers, spiny leaves Sterculiaceae (Cacao Family) Theobroma sp. cupuacu 1 Belem market Theobroma cacao cacao 3,5 Suriname countryside Verbenaceae (Vervain Family) Avicennia germinans black mangrove 3,5 finger-like breathing roots stick up in mud Lanatana camara lantana, hedge flower 2,4,5 yellow, orange or pink flowers Petrea sp. queen's wreath 4 purple flowered liana Stachytarpheta jamaicensis devil's coachwhip 2,5 purple flowers attract hummingbirds Tectona grandis teak 5 common on Tobago Vitaceae (Grape Family) Cissus cissus 1,4 red-orange flowers, riparian, deltas 5

6 Xyridaceae (Yellow-eyed Grass Family) Xyris spp. yellow-eyed grass 4 top of K Falls Key 1 - Amazon River Delta, Brazil ~ March Isle du Salut, French Guiana ~ April Paramaribo, Suriname ~ April Essequibo River / Kaieteur Falls / Saxacalli, Guyana ~ April Man-of-War Bay / Little Tobago / Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago ~ April 7-9 6