Copernicia tectorum in the wild

[David Clulow]

Copernicia tectorum is one of the rarer taxa in the state of Cojedes, Venezuela

It occurs in seasonally very wet soils followed by around 3 to 4 months of virtually zero rain.

Here is a close up of the seeds:

Here is a group photo, I'm afraid it was taken through a car window and not very clear

I dug up a few seedlings to plant in my arboretum. However, they are very difficult to transplant and I got zero germination with the seeds and all the seedlings died

This was not without incident we had to battle a rattler first

http://i1174.photobu...la/7a236892.jpg

It didn't work - I don't know what I did wrong - any advice would be much appreciated. So I have attached the final photo

[Caribbean Palms]

If you used the seeds in the above photo, they probably were not ripe. Wait until they get yellow/orangish before picking.

[Mandrew968]

If you used the seeds in the above photo, they probably were not ripe. Wait until they get yellow/orangish before picking.

That and you had bad karma for killing that snake. Not cool IMO...

[Stevetoad]

If you used the seeds in the above photo, they probably were not ripe. Wait until they get yellow/orangish before picking.

That and you had bad karma for killing that snake. Not cool IMO...

I Agree. I'm a huge reptile fan. Makes me sad when I see animals killed for no other reason than they were in your way.

[David Clulow]

I have to agree with all of you. When I first purchased this farm some 17 years ago the first thing I did was to stop any hunting on the land. Before that deer, tortoises/turtles, big iguanas and wild pigs (bachiro) had been hunted to near extinction, now they are relatively common.

However, I draw the line with venomous snakes ! One day we had a 12 foot rattler in the kitchen, and twice I have had snakes in my bedroom, once a coral and the other time an 8 foot greenish yellow which I don’t know the name. I don’t allow the staff to kill non-venomous snakes, particularly boas which I quite like. But the dangerous ones…. Out here in the wilds, in this area 2 or three people each year are killed by snakes. They do not have the money for anti-venom which is rarely available. When these deadly snakes bite, they cause the blood to go solid and that part of the body dies. The only treatment at the local hospitals is amputation of the hand, finger, foot or leg, the amount depending on how quickly they get there. Even then they frequently die. So that is why the locals are quite keen on killing their venomous neighbors. I noticed recently that in the southern United States a rattler bite can easily exceed $100,000 hospital bill – that sort of money would just not be available here. Sorry if I upset you but you must understand that things happen differently in the third world.

We operate here a sanctuary for monkeys – 28 of them. All rescues or confiscated by the police and we don’t want snakes killing our monkeys. Here is a link to our blog spot and also some photos:

http://www.not-forget-me.blogspot.com/

and here you can see two young howlers wanting to sleep in a bed

[LJG]

It seems that is a very small rootball for a palm that size. Maybe find some younger seedlings?

[Jeff Searle]

I think if you plant your seed when their fully ripe, you'll see a very good germination. Clean the fruit off as well.

And I don't blame you with the venomous snakes. Living in a such a rural area, family and kids and to find them in your house? Yea...ain't happening. They can be eaten too.

[Gileno Machado]

Nice Copernicias...I have a few grown up tectorum seedlings here but I didn't think they looked so much like pruniferas when adults, except for the trunks...

Well, I also guess the best venomous snakes are certainly the ones in the pictures...from the past, if possible...

[kahili]

I also totally understand about the venomous snakes. I have cats, a puppy and dogs here as well as me. We just killed a copperhead the other day that was around where we all walk all the time. If I could move them instead of killing them, I would-but I don't think that I could move one safely (and I would be scared shi...less besides and probably either get bitten or have a heart attack). All the other snakes get a pass. At least from the humans, I can't speak for the cats. Copperheads can cause extremely painful bites and cause the skin to die around it.

Good for you for balancing the footprint that you make on your land.

[realarch]

Really enjoyed the photos of the monkeys and palms. The land looks to have been cleared, is that from a former plantation?

[Trópico]

Could it be the answer to my year's old riddle?

This palm I found growing all along the northern coast of Colombia. Cartagena, Barranquilla, Santa Marta. If it's the same palm (maybe related species?) then I can relate how impossible is to sprout a seed. I brought one along with me back home and it never sprouted. I'd appreciate a positive ID. Nice pics!

[edbrown_III]

Copernicia tectorum is one of the rarer taxa in the state of Cojedes, Venezuela

It occurs in seasonally very wet soils followed by around 3 to 4 months of virtually zero rain.

Here is a close up of the seeds:

Here is a group photo, I'm afraid it was taken through a car window and not very clear

I dug up a few seedlings to plant in my arboretum. However, they are very difficult to transplant and I got zero germination with the seeds and all the seedlings died

This was not without incident we had to battle a rattler first

http://i1174.photobu...la/7a236892.jpg

It didn't work - I don't know what I did wrong - any advice would be much appreciated. So I have attached the final photo

Crotallus durissismus the neotropical rattlesnake I used to keep a few rattlesnakes this one gets pretty big perhaps as large as an eastern diamondback.

Best regards

Ed

[David Clulow]

Trópico

It certainly appears to be the same taxon but I'm not a botanist and you would be better getting someone more qualified to verify the name

realarch

This is not on my finca, it is around 15 miles further west. The land had been cleared for pasture. Around here when they clear for pasture for some reason I have not found out, they leave the palm trees standing.

[amazondk]

Really enjoyed the photos of the monkeys and palms. The land looks to have been cleared, is that from a former plantation?

Tim, I checked out David´s location on google earth and the area he lives in is savana for the most part. In fact when you fly from Miami to Manaus you go pretty straight over head this part of Venezuela. I have looked down on this area various times. You have to go a fair distance before the forest starts and this is about where the mountains start in southern Venezuela.

David,

Thanks for the pictures. We have pretty much the same snakes around here and I do not want them in my house either.

dk