Postcards from Colombia

[Kim]

Hello from Cali, Colombia. It is the evening of the Farewell Dinner, but I will take a few minutes to post some pics from the adventure. Bo (bgl) and I spent a few days in Bogotá in advance of the Biennial. We visited the Jardín Botanico de Bogotá and also went up the teleférico to the top of Montserrate to take in views of the city. The elevation of the city is 8,675 ft. (2,644 m.) and the top of the hill is 10,341 ft. (3,152 m.), a good way to acclimate for hiking at lower levels to see Ceroxylon.

[Kim]

Brugmansia sanguinea, had no clue it could grow to tree size.

Having fun with the views...

A couple more from the botanic garden (photos not guaranteed to be in perfect order...)

More later as time permits.

 

 

[Hilo Jason]

Great pictures (as always) Kim!  I look forward to seeing more

 

[Kim]

One of the most enchanting aspects of Colombia is the clouds. I was constantly attracted to the heavy white layers of moisture lying snugly between the mountains or hanging mystically just above the ridges. This first shot is on the way to the Quindio Botanic Garden, which is nothing like most botanic gardens; it is more like a jungle with trails carved along the steep slopes where plants grow prolifically.

Euterpe catinga, with the orange crownshaft:

I liked a lot of the non-palms here, especially the heliconias...

This flower produces a blue seed:

 

 

[Kim]

Hanging bridges are always fun for viewing palms from the treetops.

Above:

Below:

The following day we rode in buses to Sendero, then in Jeeps up to Tochecito. We were surprised to see the Ceroxylon fruiting in Sendero, but that was at lower elevation.

The Jeep ride was 2 hours of very bumpy road. No complaints!

The ride was curtailed when we encountered a rock/mudslide blocking the road.

 

 

[Palm Tree Jim]

Thanks for sharing Kim!

Hope the trip was great for all!

[Kim]

Photos from our walk in Tochecito, mature Ceroxylon quindiuense among the cattle, who unfortunately munch on any palm sprouts.  The only chance for younger palms to survive is in the thickest and steepest groves.

[Kim]

...more...

Novelty Jeep back at the hotel...

[Kim]

Next day we set out for Valle de Cocora to see more Ceroxylon. This location affords the opportunity to spot Ceroxylon alpinum at the lower elevation, then a short period where you can see both species, and at the highest points, Ceroxylon quindiuense only. C. alpinum is of smaller stature, with flat leaflets and the crown holds the leaves at a different angle.  I don't think I have a photo of an alpinum, however, sorry!

[Kim]

Those wonderful misty clouds again... We hiked uphill some distance for these shots.

Bo with Lyle "Chip" Arnold; hike began in the dark green area downhill in the background.

[Kim]

After a very long bus ride and late dinner in Buenaventura, on the west coast of Colombia, we gathered in the morning to walk to the harbor to board speed boats out of Bahia de Buenaventura northward to Bahia Malaga and Parque Nacional Natural Uramba.

Mary Lock with Suchin Marcus; Bill Sanford with Suchin

There are those clouds on the mountains again, this time part of the view from the harbor.

Gaston Colominas of Uruguay to the right, happy to be departing on this adventure.

[Kim]

Cindy Adair waving from the Niña Victoria, one of the four boats we filled.

This part of the ride took over an hour, but I lost track of time while admiring the scenery.  These little broken islands densely covered with vegetation were a common sight.

Once in Bahia Malaga, at La Plata Island we switched to narrow open motorized canoes to better reach the trails where we would hike.

L to R below: Debbie and Greg Hamann, Jason Dewees, author of the recent book, Designing with Palms; Larry Klotz in white hat, Larry Noblick in camo hat

Our canoe was the Correo la Sierpe, La Sierpe also being a village on one of the islets we would visit.

 

 

[Cindy Adair]

Getting ready for my last flight home to PR and enjoying your photos and commentary as always Kim.

Thanks!

Another memorable Biennial adventure!

[Moose]

Kim the only person who brought a camera?

[Mandrew968]

It was an amazing trip, never to forget.

[Mandrew968]

I love the shot of Jason craning his neck to see the highest canopy!

[Mandrew968]

Zamia amplifolia was certainly a sight. Zamia pyrophylla was even better. And a personal favorite was the giant Colombian form of pruinosa.

[Mandrew968]

Massive stiltroots from Socratea exorrhiza.  

Cindy, Bo and Burt during a break from the Jeep exhaust.

The largest butyracea I have ever seen.

[Xerarch]

Awesome photos, is there anything being done about the lack of juvenile Ceroxylon? Perhaps close an area off to grazing for a period of time to get some palms going and then shut off on other area?  What a shame to lose these palm forests if rising generations can never make it. 

[Cindy Adair]

1 hour ago, Xerarch said:

Awesome photos, is there anything being done about the lack of juvenile Ceroxylon? Perhaps close an area off to grazing for a period of time to get some palms going and then shut off on other area?  What a shame to lose these palm forests if rising generations can never make it. 

We saw huge numbers of C. quindiuense in certain areas and I understood it to be pretty stable. Even the cattle might prefer the lower, flatter elevations.

[Kim]

1 hour ago, Xerarch said:

Awesome photos, is there anything being done about the lack of juvenile Ceroxylon? Perhaps close an area off to grazing for a period of time to get some palms going and then shut off on other area?  What a shame to lose these palm forests if rising generations can never make it. 

Ideally those wishing to protect the palms would like to raise funds to buy out the cattle ranches and create a reserve. Anyone wishing to donate 5 to 10 million, you might get the preserve named for you. 

[Cindy Adair]

6 hours ago, Moose said:

Kim the only person who brought a camera?

Just home a few hours after three flights spread over two days and many had post trip plans. 

Lots of photos to sort, but I'll add them for sure.

[Kim]

A few from my group’s first hike in Bahia Malaga...

After debarking from the canoe onto the deeply muddy shore we set out with our guide across a tidal area covered with a half inch of water. First significant palm we quickly encountered was a Manicaria sp. with seed  

Mangroves

Some sort of sea snail?

[BS Man about Palms]

9 hours ago, Moose said:

Kim the only person who brought a camera?

I almost hung up my phone camera when I took this pic...  But I'll post more pics later.

[rick]

I'm sorting through all of the pictures I took but here are a few highlights. 

Valle de cocora

One member of the group brought some climbing gear.

Lunch on the second day in Valle de Cocora on a ceroxylon trunk

Bill disguised as a butterfly at the Quindío Botanical Garden

[rick]

I was in the Jungle Adventure group so we spent the night in Bahia Malaga. The hotel was basic but the views were incredible. 

The next day we were given some additional hikes on the islands.

Our guides had cut a small trail through the jungle to show us Chelyocarpus dianeurus. 

I went a little off trail on the way back because this caught my eye. I think this is Asterogyne martiana 

Canoe ride back to the village 

Bactris gasipaes near the village

New leaf on an Attalea I believe this was A. cuatrecasana 

[BS Man about Palms]

Big score on the Waterfall and the Cheleyocarpus Rick!!

[Mandrew968]

It had really cool windows in the juvenile fronds.

[Kim]

More from my group’s first hike

Bromeliads were thick on the ground and in the trees. 

We got a bit ahead of the guide and realized maybe that wasn’t such a great idea. Tiffany took advantage of the pause to scare up interesting orange-clawed tiny crabs in the leaf litter, among other critters.

Some were enraptured by a Mauritiella macroclada, so I snapped a shot

...then realized they were looking UP at this monster  

Lots of big Manicaria on the trail

 

[Kim]

These are from our second, less muddy hike on an island with no trail to follow. We saw Euterpe precatoria and oleracea, various Bactris, Wetting, Genoma,  2 species of Socratea, Iriartea and others. (Not all are pictured here.) 

 

 

[Kim]

In the density of the jungle it was often a challenge to catch a photo of the palms, especially the really tall Socratea and Iriartea, whose crowns were high above the canopy. Hopefully others will contribute some photos.

After hiking in the heat of the day, everyone needed a beer or two when we made landing on Juanchaco dock and made for our sweet little hotel in Ladrilleros.

Early morning at the hotel

The next morning on the way to the boats again, these hats made from the Manicaria spathe were quite popular souvenirs!

[Kim]

Morning views of the island from out on the dock as we board boats for another fabulous palm viewing hike. 

We began in the tiny village of Marvista and ended at the village of La Sierpe.

First palm we see is Oenocarpus bataua -- I think. I may be mistaken, if so, please correct me.

I loved the color of this one, which I believe was Oenocarpus minor:

Our guide Hector explaining things en español...

Welfia regia, white undersides:

Oenocarpus, green undersides:

 

[Kim]

So many other plants to distract our attention

Tiny tillandsias on tree trunks

Awesome Socratea roots!

Asterogyne martiana:

Hot lips flower -- Psychotria elata

 

[Kim]

More hot lips and a delicate flounce of fungi

Back in our canoe and enjoying a lunch of grilled fish wrapped in banana leaves, we had a view of this spectacular and completely natural vertical garden:

We made a detour to take in 2 beautiful waterfalls, one with a pool where a few chose to take a quick dip:

 

[Jeff Searle]

On ‎6‎/‎3‎/‎2018‎ ‎10‎:‎06‎:‎36‎, rick said:

I'm sorting through all of the pictures I took but here are a few highlights. 

Valle de cocora

One member of the group brought some climbing gear.

Lunch on the second day in Valle de Cocora on a ceroxylon trunk

Bill disguised as a butterfly at the Quindío Botanical Garden

A nice picture of Bill there, Kim.

[BS Man about Palms]

16 hours ago, Jeff Searle said:

A nice picture of Bill there, Kim.

Have to credit Rick, not Kim..

 

[sur4z]

Anyone take any pictures of Sabinaria magnifica (Girasol palm) in habitat?

[LJG]

Thanks for the pics guys and Kim for starting the thread. Totally missed this the first time. 

[mike in kurtistown]

Yes, I also missed this thread. Really good pictures, Kim and any others contributing. The tired-looking sad sack on the left on the Ceroxylon trunk is yours truly.

[mike in kurtistown]

Pardon, should have said "on the right".