364 replies to this topic

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Prologue

After my first biennial in the Dominican Republic two years ago, I thought to how I could out-do myself in regards to photography on this biennial in Costa Rica. I figured right off that I would simply take more photos, which I did (by a lot). In the DR, I finished with 1271 photos after editing. It was a record for me at that time for a single event, however short lived. In Costa Rica, my camera never saw rest, as many of you know. As the addiction is total, I saw the possibility for a good shot fairly often and went for it whenever I could. The shutter began clicking from the point I got to the Ft. Lauderdale airport to when the sun went down on the flight back home. I left Costa Rica with incredible memories, experiences never to be repeated and 3740 photos. It was a record-breaking achievement for me as I do not know if I could do that again. Brazil? Perhaps. The first thing I must do after shooting photos is edit them. It can sometimes (mostly) create a delay in posting, showing, exhibiting as editing must be done as a whole and as soon as possible. With this many photos, it consumed some time and caffeine.

One thing the biennial veterans can never fully explain to you is how addictive these jaunts into foreign countries can be. I immediately noticed the differences between my first and second biennials as soon as I got to the welcome reception. The first thing that hit me was the familiar faces I knew so well. When you meet so many interesting people who are extreme palm fanatics at a biennial, you can’t wait to see them again. The nineteen months between biennials flew by thanks to the Forum. When you “see” people on the Forum day in and day out you get a sense of familiarity with them. You begin to memorize their names, where they are from, what their favorite species might be and what their collections are like. When you are fortunate enough to meet them for the first time at a biennial, you get to put this acquired knowledge to use in spectacular fashion. The passage of time at this biennial seemed to take place at a more relaxed pace than in the Dominican Republic. This was the second thing I noticed. It might have been just me as it was my second one. I think everyone will have their own opinion on that. The other differences will come to light as I begin the topic proper and include them as I post. I will be posting photos in chronological order, and will try to include as many details as I can. This will hopefully limit the amount of pm’s and emails I get with follow up questions but if you have a question I have not answered feel free to fire off a message.

The Prologue will continue with a few photos from each day of the biennial, just to give a sample of what is to come:

Day 1...

- 6:55PM: The Welcome Reception offers the first chance to see old friends and meet new ones. This was a few minutes before dinner was served. There were about 140 attendees at the reception with another 40 or so that were arriving on later flights.



- 7:05PM: Let there be food, and lots of it. Attendee Leu Burger gets his plate filled while Dr. Scott Zona eyes up the desserts.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

Day 2...

- 8:59AM: Betting on the fact that snakes seldom find him, South Florida Palm Society President, opera singer and Forum member Bill Olson (Bill Olson) digs his way into a heavy clump of Areca vestiaria to find this batch of seed. This was one of hundreds of great palms at Marco Herrero's tree farm. There will be many more shots featuring Bill's agility to come.



- 9:14AM: The collector, car enthusiast, reluctant gardener and Forum member we all know so well, Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms) fondles a willing Dypsis pilulifera aka. "Orange Crush" discovered to be growing in Marco's collection. This was one of the most posed-with palms of the entire biennial and it wasn't even a native. The palm was getting warmed with camera flashes.



- 5:29PM: The Exodus. A small band of attendees, with myself included, decided that it is better to eat before a presentation than to be forced to wait afterwards. This was the first of a few taxis to come take us back to the hotel from the INBioparque. Photos of the cannonball taxi race to come later.



- 9:42PM: This is how many biennial attendees end a day. Either around a pool or in a hot tub, the mixture of great friends and good liquor make for some excellent stories. From left to right: Grant Stephenson, Forum members Paul (Palmnorris) & Judy (Queen of Bling) Norris, Robin Crawford, Rob Branch, FM. Jack Sayers (elHoagie), FM. Jim Glock (jglock1), Miriam & FM. Ray Hernandez (Ray Tampa), Judy Glock and the majority of FM. Jeff Searle. I will let you guess which toes belong to who.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

Day 3...

- 12:02PM: In the waiting area not far from the gift shop at the Rain Forest Aerial Tram, attendee and Forum member Ron Kiefert (moose knuckle) noticed a peculiar Astrocaryum alatum. It had no spines on it. It had a few small, soft spines on the newly emergent leaf petiole but that was it.



- 12:47PM: The rear ice chest on Bus #4 had to be maintained at all times. If supplies ran low, chaos would ensue.



- 2:40PM: One of the first reptiles that I saw in person, an Eyelash Palm-Pitviper (Bothriechis schlegelii). He was posing for a long while curled up among the moss covered stilt roots of a Socratea exorrhiza. He was getting all the attention for being only a few inches long. You can see the small, triangle-shaped protrusions above each eye. I haven't found any information about what could be the importance or use of these "eyelashes".



- 6:48PM: The dinner party that multiplied. What first started out as a group of eight, quickly grew to twenty-one while we waited in the lobby of the hotel for friends to get ready for dinner. We all walked down the street to a local Italian restaurant and invaded it on a quiet Monday evening.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

Day 4...

- 10:45AM: The attendees from Bus #4 came across a troop of White-headed Capuchin monkeys early into our tour of Carara National Park. They seemed to travel along a path parallel to our own and gathered at this one spot above a river. We encountered tourists from a few different groups, including bird society members. We spent a fair amount of time here watching them swing from tree to tree.



- 10:53AM: One palm I was hoping to find and photograph was Neonicholsonia watsonii. I had just finished photographing the bridge above when Jim Glock came back along the trail to find me. A few steps later and he pointed it out to me. This specimen was part of a small group consisting of only three palms.



- 2:07PM: Forum members Linda Talbot (Linda Apriletti) and Bill Olson (Bill Olson) sample some fresh Costa Rican coffee at our pre-determined gift shop/tourist trap stop. Group 2 attendees (Bus #3 & #4) seemed to overtake the place very efficiently.



- 6:33PM: I was very fortunate to have been able to spend some time in downtown San Jose. I had thought the experience would have escaped me but luck favors the prepared. One of the many interesting places to not only see but to photograph was the National Theater. This small side trip was to become one of the 'tangents' in the well organized biennial schedule.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

Day 5...

- 11:58AM: In one of the many twists and turns of the Arenal Hanging Bridges my sub-group of Bus #4 came across the noticeable movements of White-headed Capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) moving through the trees. At the same time, the sounds of howler monkeys could be heard in the distance and this caused many of my sub-group to move on in hopes of seeing them. I decided to stay behind with a few others to see if I could get a shot of the ones nearby. I changed lenses and began to take some pot-shots of a few individuals as they moved above. We slowly began to notice that a few, with one in particular, began to get much lower and closer to us. After a few minutes, this one tough guy got within about 8 feet (2m) of us and began to put on a display of defensive behavior. We figured he was one of the troop guards who decided to come down and determine our threat level. We spent so much time here that the sub-group behind us caught up to where we were.



- 12:26PM: There were a series of bridges interconnected via paths and the views they provided were simply breath taking. It is hard to express it with an image. To get this photo of Forum members Jeff Searle and Linda Talbot (Linda Apriletti) I stood halfway across the 300 ft (92m) long Waterfall Bridge which was about 150 ft (45m) above the rocky ground below. Framing both sides of the bridge supports were a pair of giant Iriartea deltoidea.



- 2:55PM: The Arenal Volcano. This was my first ever view of a volcano and it was well worth the trip. It had the perfect shape and image of what one would think a volcano should look like. This was one of the clearer images I captured, with just a little cloud cover at the top.



- 3:38PM: This is when Bus #4 had its nickname changed from Chamaedorea to Cyrtostachys. During our trip to the Arenal Hanging Bridges, we drove by a small resort with several large Red Sealing Wax Palms, Cyrtostachys renda. In one resounding sound, several attendees either said or muttered "Let's stop there!" Our CRT Guide Jonny said that with time permitting, we could stop. Well we did, with 'mucho gusto'. With Jeff Searle lending a helping hand; Forum member Robert Wilson (Trinidad! Bob) shimmies up one stem and cuts off one of the first, fruit-laden infructescences to become victim to Bus #4's undying thirst for palm seed.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

Day 6...

- 9:50AM: At our highest point in the biennial (8444 ft, 2574m above sea level), Bus #4 alumnus and Forum member Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms) takes in the sights of the Poás Volcano, of what he can see of it. Fellow alumni Dan Ashley [red shirt, rt. of Bill] and FM. Craig Morgan (el Gato Grande) [yellow] begin to wait for the clouds to clear. I am not sure if the clouds ever did clear, as a small group of us decided to explore a small path that led back to the park entrance a short while after getting to here.



- 12:24PM: At the upper part of the La Paz Waterfall Gardens there was a wildlife refuge with a huge assortment of animal, insect and plant life for us to gaze upon. There was one small, walk-in aviary that held a few different species of toucans, including this Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, aka Swainson's Toucan (Ramphastos swainsonii). They were flying all over and without fencing to worry about, it made it possible for some great photos.



- 2:00PM: The first major waterfall in the park was the Templo Waterfall. It was 85 ft (26m) of pure power. The water was coming over in tremendous amounts and made the perfect sound which you could also feel. It caused every single person to stop and just look at least twice. To get people to pose required the use of furious hand signals. From left to right, all members of Bus #4: FM. Paul Norris (Palmnorris), Director of the Durban Botanic Gardens Barry Lang, LeAnn Holmes, FM. JayAnne Crawley (La Lady), Dan Ashley, FM. Judy Norris (Queen of Bling) and FM. Andrea & Jeff Searle.



- 3:32PM: This was one of Paul Norris's talents being put on display during the First Biennial Talent or no-Talent show aboard the now legendary Bus #4. He was doing his best to present himself as a 'Hooter's Guy'**. This was our last trip together as Bus #4 so it was decided to make it memorable, which was not too hard to do.



** Note- For those who may not know, Hooter's is a popular American restaurant with a certain 'style' when it comes to serving food.
Hooter's website

Ryan

[Palmarum]

Day 7...
...Prologue

The last day of the biennial held potentially something different for everyone. There was no set schedule for this day so it was up to attendees to figure out what they wanted to do. Many went ahead during the week and chose an excursion via CRT, which included possibilities such as canopy zip-line, horseback riding, white water rafting, a San Jose city tour and some other choices. A few attendees had places they wanted to go back to, nurseries to visit, while some spent the day around the pool at the hotel. There were many great ideas, but it was hard to try and fit in too many activities. I did take a few photos during the Saturday after the official end of the biennial, but they will appear at the end of the topic.

- 10:23AM: The attendees who chose to go to Hacienda Pozo Azul to do any combination of activities just about filled one of the buses. Those who chose Combo I (myself included), which comprised of horseback riding and canopy zip-line, went horseback riding first. Our group were in process of selecting our horses when I captured Lindsey Sayers 'laHoagie' taking a photo of her husband, FM. Jack Sayers (elHoagie) on his matching steed.



- 1:28PM: It was decided, or voted upon, that I would be first to go for the zip-line. This made it easier for me to get photos of people coming down the line rather than going. At the first platform on the ground, after the first three zip-lines, it was possible for me to get out my camera. One of the first to come on down was flying Forum member Jack Sayers (elHoagie), or the flying sandwich someone muttered. To the left of him in the photo there is a small Iriartea deltoidea.



- 8:28PM: We were entertained after the Farewell Dinner by a very good Brazilian band. They played just about non-stop throughout the evening from right after the closing presentations to well into the night.



- 9:18PM: The shortest lived conga line ever. It was there one minute then disappeared after only a few seconds. The Farewell Dinner was too short in my opinion; you try to say your farewells to everyone but time flew on by. Those of us who went to Pozo Azul were a little late in getting back and that trimmed some time off as well. There was also the fact a few attendees had some very early flights the next morning.



More to come…

Ryan

[Moose]

The Neonicholsonia Watsonii pictured has an infructescence devoid of seed. Since we were in a National Park perhaps it was for the best - the temptation on such a rare species would have been extreme.

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd: Introduction

Fort Lauderdale International Airport -> Juan Santamaria International Airport
Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA -> San Jose, Costa Rica

When your traveling to the airport heading to a Biennial, you cannot help to go over your luggage and camera gear in your mind, trying to think if you remembered everything. Luckily, I did not forget anything. When your riding in the same car with fellow attendee, seasoned traveler and biennial elite Jim Glock, listening to him describe traveling horror stories of when people left important things behind; it can become habit-forming to double check one's gear in the car. This phase quickly passed however, once I cleared my mind and remembered that in a few hours I will be at the next International Palm Society biennial in Costa Rica, sharing space with the world's greatest concentration of palm enthusiasts.

- 3:10PM EST: A few seconds after take-off, a look outside a left side window of the American Airlines Boeing 737-800 held a view of downtown Fort Lauderdale. I am still looking for a way to get the ground crew to clean my window before we leave the airport. No luck yet, but I am open to suggestions.



- 3:11PM EST: Fifty-nine seconds of full throttle later, we flew right over the Port Everglades Inlet. This is a typical scene for South Florida and its waterways, minus the numerous cruise ships. The beaches looked a bit thin for a Saturday.



- 3:11PM EST: Last fading view of South Florida. Seeing the beaches get further and further away, it finally hit me that I was not only heading to the Biennial, but I was actually going to visit Costa Rica for the first time.



- 3:41PM (Costa Rica Local Time): I was not even finished reading my magazine when we started our descent. The two hour plus flight was quick, I still had soda left on my table. After we did some light cloud surfing, we broke through and this was one of my first, clearer shots of Costa Rica. This shot was possible after some crafty editing of course.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Juan Santamaria International Airport
San Jose, Costa Rica

- 3:43PM: As soon as we landed, I thought to myself "we could have this weather all week." I was thinking back to a few days before the biennial, to a post made by Geri Prall (SW_FL_Palms). She had arrived a few days earlier, and had noted to how much it had been raining. Her post had stuck in my mind, so I was hoping for a few days of good weather. I had brought all the rain gear I thought I could need, for my camera and for myself. Later we would all come to realize how lucky we were.



- 4:32PM: When my fellow travel companions, Jim & Judy Glock and myself boarded the plane back in Fort Lauderdale, we walked past friend and attendee Paul Richnow sitting up front in the big seats. By the time we deplaned, and made our way to immigration, the four of us were already laughing and cracking jokes. We found a friendly CRT Associate holding up a large "IPS Biennial" sign and after telling him our names; we got our luggage and headed outside for the shuttle. I took this photo of the terminal as we were circling the airport to pick up a few more attendees who were still in the airport exchanging money.



- As I looked outside the shuttle driving us to the hotel, I studied the hills and roadside features while trying to follow along with the Costa Rican map in my head. I've had a map hung up on my wall for a few months before the biennial. Since returning from the biennial, I have received many messages and emails, some with important questions regarding "where we were", or "where we went". I answered what I could and decided to use the map I had to help answer the rest in the topic. The red box in the following large scale map of Costa Rica shows the area comprising the location map below.



- All of the locations on this map were either the main destinations and/or where I traveled to during the biennial. Many attendees traveled to varied places on Friday, the "free" day of the biennial schedule. This map also does not include pre and post excursions. The red box above shows that the biennial took place in the central area of the country. We crossed over, back and forth, from the Pacific side to the Atlantic side two times during the week. We traveled as far north as the Arenal Volcano, and as far south as Carara National Park. With everything centrally located, we did not need to change hotels, which was a big plus in my book. This map was uploaded at a larger size than the photos, to make it easier to read. It will scale to the size of your screen, or you may click on the black bar to make it full size. I am sure as to the accuracy of the majority of the locations.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 5:22PM: The ride to the hotel was very quick. As soon as I stepped out of the shuttle and grabbed my stuff I began to see familiar faces everywhere. It was like getting flashbacks from the Dominican Republic. I was equally as eager to say hello to people I had just seen the week before and others I had not seen in almost two years. That familiar fuzzy feeling that I had noticed in the DR, was back again. After I checked in and found my room, my roommate Ron Kiefert [far left] showed me around the hotel. We went over to the CRT desk where I got in line to check in for the Biennial. I thought for when my flight arrived, I might have been one of the last attendees to make it to the hotel. It turns out there were going to be some late arrivals.



- 5:43PM: Old friends meeting again after many months, fond memories and familiar stitching. Biennial attendee, Host of the 2006 Biennial in the DR and plastic surgeon Dr. Emilio Martinez inspects his 'handiwork' by looking over the hand of palm biologist Dr. Larry Noblick. For those of you who were not on the now infamous Green Bus during the '06 Biennial in the DR, Larry fell one day while inspecting palms and cut his hand wide open on a chuck of very sharp limestone rock. Emilio jumped into action by producing a doctors bag and sub sequentially sowed and stitched Larry's hand back together. These two had a lot to talk about and I caught them both just as they saw each other for the first time this biennial. I had some advanced info at this point and I knew this story would come up again later this evening. Those of you, who were on Bus #2, probably did not know how lucky you were to have his skills nearby.



- 6:00PM: The Grand Dining Room of the Cariari Hotel, perfectly laid out with well over a hundred place settings ready to greet many hungry and excited attendees. I snuck in early to take some photos while they were stacking the bar.



- 6:05PM: The Welcoming Reception begins with the influx of attendees into the dining room. When you have so many people who know each other, either in person or through online interaction, it makes for some tough decisions on where you want to sit.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 6:21PM: At this point in time, there were about 140 attendees present in the dining room. Most were seated enjoying a drink or two, while some of us had the strong impulse to float from table to table saying hello, greeting new yet familiar Forum members for the first time, or just taking photos. The remainder were either arriving late in the evening or simply had not shown up yet. We could all smell the great food we were about to eat and for some of us that had been traveling this day, were starving. In the back-center of the photo, Forum member and new IPS Director Kathryn Ostadal (Kathryn) poses next to Andrea Searle [blue]. The table on the left sat many of the attendees from Spain, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Forum member Mike Merritt (Mike in Kurtisstown) [tan] can be seen on the left edge of the right table.



- 6:51PM: Dinner had been scheduled for 7:00PM, so many of the kitchen staff were going to and fro making sure everything was perfect with a few minutes they had left. Many of the attendees were so involved in conversations that we were oblivious to the time. They could have delayed dinner and most, minus only the most hungry of attendees, would have noticed. This one chef was ordering people about like a military drill sergeant while checking that there was enough food for hundred-plus palm fanatics. Not an easy task.



- 6:52PM: One of the tables up near the platform held a few of the more well known IPS Directors and Forum members. On the left finishing his drink is IPS Director, Sponsor of the Biennial, and FM. Tobias Spanner (Toby). He is also the owner and operator of Rarepalmseeds.com. In the center talking to his wife Jatmi was renown author, IPS Director, palm scientist, and FM. Dr. John Dransfield (John Dransfield). On their right sat Dr. Scott Zona (scottzona) [glasses], palm biologist, IPS Director, FM. and a professor of Biological Sciences at the Graduate School of Florida International University.



- 6:54PM: People were starting to sneak their way to the edges of the room where the food was still being prepared, while many attendees chatted on. The mood in the room was unbelievable. Everyone had a story to tell, either describing their newest addition to their palm collection, or telling of their last palm related expedition. You could not absorb everything at your own table, let alone the whole room. Standing, towards the left, Jeff Searle is describing something during his stay at this particular table.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 6:55PM: During one of my trips about the dining room, I could not help but investigate the different food courses laid out before me. The entrée's were still covered but most had small name tags so one could get an idea of what is to come. The common and welcome choices of beef or chicken were there, along with some local favorites. Photographing food when you’re really hungry creates a weird sensation, so I do not recommend it.



- 6:59PM: Food! I decided I could not compete for line position with the 'buffet elite' so I traded early food for photos. I could always eat later, as long as there was food left.



- 7:57PM: Enjoying full stomachs, we slowly finished our great dinners and began to delve into conversations. Close to eight 'o clock, IPS Vice President and FM. Leland Lei (Leland Lai) took the podium and welcomed everyone and officially began the 2008 Biennial.



- 8:01PM: When we first took our seats, we were treated with prepared Peach Palm appetizers. Leland and his family made it possible for us to try this local delicacy. We grow Peach Palms in South Florida, and they flower and set fruit, but it is very seldom someone will go through the work of preparing it. I enjoyed the treat, although others had different reactions.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 8:05PM: I did not end up sitting down for long. The urge to photograph what I could lead me to the back of the room. I took up a position to catch the slides as well as the speakers. A short while after Leland introduced the sponsors of the biennial, he yielded the podium to one of our hosts this year, landscape designer and nurseryman Marco Herrero. He welcomed all of us to Costa Rica and declared that we will all have a great time at his nursery and in the country. We would all be visiting his nursery and that of his brother's on Sunday, the second day of the biennial. He went on to say that we were welcome to take any seed from any of the trees at his nursery. This was slightly contradictory to what Leland had said in his introduction about not taking any seed from anywhere during our stay in Costa Rica. We were not ten minutes into the biennial and already had something heavy to consider.



- 8:08PM: The slideshow continued with a few different slides featuring not only what we should do during the biennial, but what we would see and where we would go. Leland did take a few seconds to reiterate his point on not taking seed, especially from the national parks we were going to visit.



- The presentation reached a point where a different slideshow was going to be used, but there was a small technical problem in getting the next show to work. IPS Director Jim Cain stepped up to remedy the situation while Leland fielded questions from attendees.



- 8:09PM: With the slideshow back up and running, Leland introduced the speakers who were present and talked a little bit about each of their scheduled talks. The first two speakers were going to give their talks at the INBIOparque Sunday evening, while the remainder will take place here in the dining room at the hotel.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 8:12PM: Time for roll call, biennial style. The arrival of the slide containing the numerical listing of attendees prompted the presentation of each represented country and state. This honor went to former IPS President and FM. Paul Craft (Licuala).



- Before he began, Paul took a minute to give special thanks and recognition to IPS Director Jim Cain, who worked countless days in organizing and planning the logistics of the biennial. He did a tremendous job and he should be immortalized for his efforts in helping to pull off one of the best IPS Biennials of all time.



- 8:14PM: To quote the slide below, "Where in the World" did all these people come from? Well, for the second highest attended biennial in history, attendees flocked to Costa Rica from all corners of the world. There were 21 countries represented at this biennial, with about one-third of the attendees from countries other than the United States. It was a surprise for me to see so many states represented, and I think Paul was surprised as well. It was nice to see Florida edge out California by a tiny bit. I am still wondering what the "Other" state was. The obscured totals you can not see: South Africa (1), Spain (12), Switzerland (4), Thailand (1), Trinidad & Tobago (1), United Kingdom (1), Uruguay (2).



- 8:15PM: Representing the future destination of the 2010 IPS Biennial, Christiane and Jose Pompeo are just part of the delegation from Brazil. There were representatives scattered all over the dinning room so capturing them all in a photo proved a little difficult.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 8:15PM: As the past destination of the 2006 IPS Biennial, the Dominican Republic was well represented by two of that biennials' well-known hosts, Dr. Emilio Martinez and Leonel Mera. It was great to see them both again after the excellent time we all had in their country.



- IPS Director and FM. R. Haresh (Haresh) takes a quick bow as he was introduced as India's sole attendee.



- 8:16PM: There was a short pause while Paul was reading at the podium, then he said one word, "Mexico" and then it got real loud. There was uproar throughout the dining room as the Mexican delegation cheered in sequence. Forum member Oscar Moreno (ViveroLaVida) can be seen at the left of the photo standing slightly in behind another attendee.



- The Biennial post-tour destination of Peru was embodied by IPS Director and Biennial Speaker Fernando Roca.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 8:16PM: It is great to see the biennial becoming more of a family event. Forum member George Yao (gcyao) stood for the Philippines with wife Aurora [partially seated] and son Garvin.



- I managed to get this photo of attendee Paul Richnow from clear across the room, as he was doing a quick bow and wave move. For a second there, I thought he was going to fall down. He is the solitary representative of St. Kitts and Nevis.



- 8:17PM: At this point in the evening, it became common for people from one country to stand up and cheer for another that were being introduced. It was a little confusing to keep track of, but it was great to see the exuberance descend over the crowd. A domino effect of cheering began as Paul announced that Spain had a large contingent at the biennial. The country had well known representatives including Biennial Speaker Dr. Tomas Font, M.D. [left in white] and fellow Biennial Speaker Dr. Antonio (Tono) Gomez Sancho, M.D. [striped shirt].



- The countries were being introduced almost as fast as I could take photos. I know I did not want to miss the lone representative of Trinidad & Tobago, FM. Robert Wilson (Trinidad! Bob) as I saw him take my photo a few times. He bows in front of me while Paul gets a huge grin on his face in response to the crowd's great spirit and willingness to celebrate each and every attendee.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 8:17PM: An interesting thing happened when Paul asked for "Jon" of the United Kingdom to show himself in the room. IPS Director and FM. Dr. John Dransfield (John Dransfield), who was not able to stay to attend the biennial, accepted the duty of representing the UK. Paul was in fact referring to our own Forum member Jon Kenaghan (Bilbo) but his flight had not arrived yet.



- The presentation changed gears for a few moments as Paul went into detail about the Board of Directors and the meeting they had the day before. He touched on a few points, mainly that he was no longer President of the IPS and that the meeting was productive. He then asked if all the IPS Directors would please stand and be recognized. From left to right: FM. Grant Lee Stephenson (palma grant it) [TX], John Rees [CA], Tom Jackson [CA], FM. Christie Jones (C.Jones) [FL], FM. Faith Bishock (budrot) [FL], FM. Kathryn Ostadal (Kathryn) [LA], FM. Dr. Larry Noblick (Noblick) [FL], FM. Jeanne Price (jeanne374) [QLD, Australia], FM. John Demott (Redland) [FL], FM. Elena Beare (Elena B. Uruguay) [Uruguay]...



- cont. left to right: FM. Bo-Göran Lundkvist (bgl) [HI], FM. Dr. Scott Zona (scottzona) [FL], FM. Horace Hobbs (Horace) [TX], FM. R. Haresh (Haresh) [India], FM. Toby Spanner (Toby) [Germany], FM. Ray Hernandez (Ray Tampa) [FL]. Like with previous instances, the other Directors were dotted about the dining room and I could not photograph them all. I think next time I will need to be on the platform.



- 8:20PM: Paul was just about to move on to the next topic on his list when someone mentioned the state introductions. He couldn't have forgotten those could he? He began with Hawaii, and the Hawaiians had waited long enough. With style and some grace, FM. Donald Sanders (Donald Sanders) and Voltaire Moise dance to their own internal soundtrack while Norm Bezona [rt] claps along with them. Bo-Göran is right on the other side getting the full effect. The remaining Hawaiian attendees were scattered around the room in all directions.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 8:20PM: When Florida and California were introduced there were over eighty people standing all over the room. Capturing either state's contingent in action was a bit too much and the photos were not the best. Two of Bus #4's finest, FMs. Kathryn Ostadal (Kathryn) and Craig Morgan (el Gato Grande) stand up for the great state of Louisiana.



- The Most Exhilarated Intro award definitely went to FM. Robert & Cari Savinetti (BobbyinNY). They could not get to their feet fast enough. When Paul announced "New York?" with a questionable inflection, they almost gained flight with their napkins waving. Robert is always pushing the limit and breaking the stereotypes of which palms can be grown in a northern climate, not to mention Long Island, NY. Cari seemed confused about something during her own introduction.



- 8:22PM: With his last moment behind the podium, Paul singled out Leonel Mera and thanked him again for the great work he put into the 2006 Dominican Republic Biennial.



- 8:25PM: Soon after Paul yielded the floor back to Leland, one of the major votes decided upon during the Board of Directors meeting came to light. The International Palm Society has a new President, a palm collector everyone on the Forum is familiar with, FM. Bo-Göran Lundkvist (bgl). He thanked the Board for the chance to serve the society and gave a brief introduction of the Forum to the attendees. He cited a few examples of how the Forum has changed the way in which palm enthusiasts around the world get their information about their favorite plant family.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 8:26PM: The initial introduction of the Palmtalk Forum given by Bo-Göran was well received by all of us Forum members who were in attendance at the dinner. We were happy to see the Forum given some prime time ad space during the evening. I could overhear a few different members explaining the Forum to attendees at their tables. A few minutes later, in a moment in which I was able to forecast, Bo-Göran asked if all the Forum members could stand. I never got a count since I was too busy shooting, but there were quite a few scattered from table to table. In this one shot, I managed to capture a few either standing or were on their way to standing up. The members who are standing, left to right: Geri Prall (SW_FL_Palms) [turning], Faith Bishock (budrot), Alan Brickey (avb), Kathryn Ostadal (Kathryn), and Jack Sayers (elHoagie). There are more in this photo and there were many more around the room.



- 8:29PM: The cheering by members and attendees continued as Bo-Göran introduced his son, André Lundkvist to the palm community; as it was his first biennial.




>> A few minutes went by as Bo-Göran continued with his presentation while attendees relaxed back in their seats. As he was talking about the Forum, he began to look across the room directly at me and his tone began to change slightly. He mentioned that many visitors and members of the Forum often see topics with many photos and that some were posted by a certain individual. His expression gained a smirk while continuing to look straight in my direction. My finely-honed sense of perception said "Uh-oh". In the next moment, one which I could have never been able to forecast, Bo-Göran introduced me and my photo habit to everyone at the welcome reception. As I was trying to look eloquent while bowing and thanking everyone for their applause I was unable to handle my camera. Therefore I was not able to take any photos of this awkward biennial moment, since I was the subject of it. I am sure someone did however, as I remember seeing a few flashes. Thank you again Bo, as from that moment on it made for a even better biennial than I had could have envisioned. <<


- 8:43PM: Towards the very end of the reception dinner, I was still buzzed about my impromptu introduction, but I still knew an even better moment was coming. IPS Vice President & FM. Leland Lai (Leland Lai) retakes the podium while holding a suspicious looking, yet familiar rock in his hand. He announces that there is a special award to be given out to a certain attendee.



- Leland turns his hand and waves at Dr. Larry Noblick and asks if he can come up to the stage. Larry's expression describes the situation better than I can. I was not sure to whom he was looking at, but his face said it all, surprise, intrigue, suspicion, curiosity; all rolled into one priceless glare. I am so glad I got it.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 8:43PM: As Larry approached the stage, Leland went into detail about the origin of this inscribed piece of limestone. He did a quick retelling of how Larry injured his hand during the 2006 Biennial in the Dominican Republic. For being injured in the line of duty during the biennial, Larry was given the 2006 Biennial Tough Guy Award. Not only did he slice open his hand on this very rock, which was salvaged by Ron Kiefert, but he kept his composure and was still able to perform his duty as the official palm biologist of the Green Bus.



- 8:45PM: Everyone wanted a photo of Larry holding his new award, and I was no different. He was truly surprised and very happy to get it. It shed some light and a little humor on a once painful moment.



- 8:46PM: The Welcome Reception had concluded with the award ceremony and all the attendees began to part ways for the evening. Many went straight to their rooms while others continued to mingle about the dining room and the bar outside.



- 8:55PM: Dr. Emilio Martinez had to congratulate Larry on his new found fame. The two of them were both astonished by the surprise. Emilio thought it was only natural for Larry to hold up his hand to show how well the injury had healed.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 01: Saturday, May 3rd: Conclusion

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 9:55PM: An hour has passed since the end of the Welcome Reception. There were still attendees gathered around the bar area not far from the dining room. There was one very important moment that was still to come and I knew it would be worth the wait. Checking in at the CRT desk, is Forum member and ranch hand recruiter Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms). After listening to Jeff Searle's great stories about his trip to California, I had to wait around to meet "the BS Man" for the first time. He was one of the last Bus #4 alumni to arrive for the biennial, sans luggage. His trip to Costa Rica was a true journey. While in one airport connecting flights the airline misplaced his luggage. They said they would get it to him by tomorrow, sometime.



- 10:25PM: The first person to greet and show Bill around was Jeff Searle, of course. He guided Bill around the hotel restaurant and bar area and introduced him to everyone, including the new IPS President and fellow FM. Bo-Göran Lundkvist (bgl).



- 10:38PM: The last image from Saturday shows attendees making the most of every moment the biennial has to offer. There was simply not enough time to talk with everyone you would want to, so it is imperative you absorb every conversation. I was beginning to feel the day's content of traveling along with the minor time difference, (it felt like 12:38AM to us newly arrived Floridians), so I knew I couldn't last as long as the already localized attendees. Bill and Jeff strike up multiple conversations with FMs. Kathryn Ostadal (Kathryn) [obscured], Craig Morgan (el Gato Grande) in the center, FM. Darold Petty (Darold Petty) is next to him, with Forum co-Moderator Angela Blakely (putu enjula) and Forum Moderator & Administrator Dean Ouer (Dypsisdean) [PALM MOD] towards the right.



...The first day of the Biennial is over, but tomorrow we will leave the hotel and venture into the Costa Rican countryside... Day 02 is next...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th: Introduction

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

In the first moment of my second day in Costa Rica, one thing became instantly apparent to me. The sun rises very early in this Central American paradise. It was not yet a full half hour past Five AM in the morning when the sun decided to beat my alarm clock to the punch and wake me up. I was still owed two hours by something or someone. I figured if anything I can at least make it to breakfast before the mob hits the buffet. Today was going to be the only day of the biennial where all the attendees will share a similar schedule. Both Groups, 1 & 2, will be heading west to visit the lush tree farms belonging to Marko and Gerardo Herrero followed by a stop at the immersive INBIOparque.

- 6:32AM: Yes, the time is correct on this photo. The days in Costa Rica began early and got lit fast. This was my first trip through the hotel's very nice breakfast buffet and I have to say they had something for everyone. On the left, Greek attendee Athanassios Kitsadas eyes some of the watermelon that Felix Montes [Mexico] is helping himself to; while Anders Lindstrom [Thailand] walks past with a full plate. Past-President of the IPS and Forum member Paul Craft (Licuala) is next in line with his wife Patti followed by members of the Louisiana delegation, Cynthia [obscured] & Joe Baucum.



- 7:29AM: As a long time favorite of mine, the Red Sealing Wax Palm (Cyrtostachys renda) can not be ignored for long without demanding some attention, even if it is not a native. This specimen, with another planted not far away, were two of the hotel garden's focal points as you walked around the grounds.



- 7:30PM: The buses had arrived and were ready for action. This is Bus #3, the transportation for the first half of Group 2 with the front part of Bus #2 in behind it.



- Bus #1 was filled with a varied cast of characters and could have easily earned a title or two, but I didn't hear much in the way of reputations being made or broken on that vehicle. Not like with Bus #4, however.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th:

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 7:32AM: The hotel had an interesting array of plant species that were incorporated into the landscape. This one banana, which I think is Musa ornata, was in full bloom and fruit at the same time. I do not know banana species that well so if anyone knows of this one's true identity, please let me know.



- 7:37AM: A portrait of one set of leaf bases belonging to the larger Red Sealing Wax Palm, Cyrtostachys renda that was shown earlier. I could not help myself, as these palms do not flourish as well in my home environment.



- It was almost time for attendees to board their corresponding bus and head out for the day. The smaller shuttle-type buses in front caught our attention and it turned out they were going to be "Bus #4" for the day.



- 7:47AM: The lobby of the Hilton Cariari Hotel was often the first and last gathering spot for attendees for each day of the biennial. Since both groups were leaving at the same time on this day, we had the opportunity to greet and see everyone again, including those attendees who arrived late during the night before.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel

- 7:47AM: The hotel did a great job of working with Costa Rican Tours (CRT) by keeping all the attendees on schedule and making everyone feel comfortable. I did not hear a single complaint about the hotel during the biennial. There was an instance involving a certain room safe belonging to Bus #4 alumni Judy Kay, but that is a different story. The hotel worked fast to remedy the situation and it was eventually resolved in a 'direct' way and has since become part of biennial lore. As the attendees gather in the lobby, they also spoke with a few members of the IPS Board of Directors who were leaving on this day, as they were unable to attend the remainder of the biennial.



- 7:50AM: The signal was given by CRT to begin, so everyone grabbed their bags, backpacks and gear and made their way to the buses. Everyone on Bus #4 had a quick decision to make as to which mini-bus to get on, as we were going to be separated for the day. Many of us on Bus #4, who were looking forward to being together, thought it was slightly ironic.



- 7:54AM: CRT Guide Mario welcomed all of us aboard and answered the wave of questions that were about to head his way. He took roll call and began to learn our names, real or otherwise. He said there was a problem with the original Bus #4, and that it would be here tomorrow.



- The mini-bus wasn't what we had in mind, but we delt with it the best we could. It was a little cramped in my opinion, since I had the nice seat above the wheel well.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> Marco & Gerardo Herrero's Farms
Bus #4 (part of it)

- 8:15AM: The standard tour activity of check and re-check took place then each bus pulled out and began to head west. As we drove along, we were given a partial weather forecast. Basically, we were told it could rain at any time so be prepared.



- 8:21AM: We were making good time as it was early on a Sunday morning and there was little or no traffic.



- 8:32AM: A local set of fine dining establishments.



- 8:34AM: Visiting day at the local prison. With the heavy pedestrian traffic we had to slow down to avoid hitting anyone. This gave us a longer than usual look at the Costa Rican penal system. Visitors get in line holding food, etc. to give to relatives who are otherwise detained. Compared to its neighboring countries, Costa Rica has a fairly low crime rate. They do have the usual problems of drug trafficking and crime against tourists, but the line on the graph has been pointing downward in the past few years.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> Marco & Gerardo Herrero's Farms
Bus #4 (part of it)

- 8:35AM: We began to see features of a large tree farm and we knew we were getting close. This was one of the last views of the countryside before we became enclosed with endless rows of palms and tropical plants.



- 8:44AM: The road turned to rough gravel and we began to move along at a snail's pace. Palms of many different species began to swipe the minibus with their fronds. One of the first to get attention, was this Foxy lady, or Veitchia X Foxtail Hybrid, Veitchia sp. (arecina) X Wodyetia bifurcata. It was first spotted and ID'd by Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms) in a split second.



Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 8:47AM: To help alleviate overcrowding in one spot, the groups were divided between the two farms. Those of us in Group 2 visited Marco's palm paradise first while Group 1, Buses #1 & #2 went to his brother Gerardo's place. After about two hours we switched.



- The plants at either tree farm consisted of mostly palms, tropical flowering trees, bamboo, a few cycads, and many other members of various tropical plant families. While the majority was grown straight in the field, there were areas of containerized material. These potted plants were either grown in shade houses or under canopy, like this Syagrus coronata.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 8:49AM: Not far down the first road was located the largest Mauritia flexuosa I had ever seen, and it was a juvenile. Those palmate leaves are very unique.



- Since many of the material at the tree farm originated as seed from several different sources, including Wilson Botanical Gardens, we had to open our minds to the possibility that we could see palms from anywhere. This made identification very challenging and fun. This was a pot-bound Verschaffeltia splendida.



- 8:52AM: Veitchias, Veitchias and more Veitchias as far as one could see with a telephoto lens. There were millions of them. It made for a dramatic effect when they were seen from below. They were practically naturalized at this point. I am sure they were Sunshine Palms, Veitchia arecina.



- When the mob made the first turn, everyone scattered like rabbits. Palm fanatics exposed to a cornucopia of species and given free reign to collect as much seed as they can, don't stay in one group for long. Not to mention we had a mere two hours to photograph, identify, explore and pillage the entire farm. Jeff & Andrea Searle take point in this particular group.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 8:54AM: This mature Hydriastele pinangoides was a surprising and colorful find in amongst the canopy. It had quite a few stems in a robust clump with many producing newly emergent, pinkish-red leaves.



- It was sheltering a few infructescences that held seed that were almost ready, but not quite.



- A few steps away was a gathering of Calyptrogyne sp., most likely C. ghiesbreghtiana or the native C. sarapiquensis, which has been recently renamed to C. ghiesbreghtiana subsp. glauca. That blue line in the photo is not an anomaly, but rather a dragonfly that flew by during the 1/60th of a second the shutter was open.



- 8:56AM: The intricate and intertwined stilt roots of Socratea exorrhiza are the hallmark of the species. The coloration and design differentiate it from other stilt-root palms.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 8:56AM: The remainder of the palm that belonged to the stilt-roots above. Socratea exorrhiza serves as a conversation piece in different collections, due in part to its unusual root structure. It has a hard time establishing in sub-tropical climates where it is not very humid throughout the year. The newly growing stilt roots are fragile and must not be allowed to dry out as they head for the earth below.



- Bag in hand, Forum member Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms) searches for anything with seed that catches his eye. Every attendee got one of those bags with their biennial 'stuff' when they checked in and they became very useful.



- 8:58AM: Bus #4 attendee Judy Glock had to go look for snakes.



- A small irrigation creek intersected a path we were following, so we decided to turn left and follow the creek. We walked a short distance and found this very large clump of Areca vestiaria growing right near the water. Ignoring any possible danger, FM. Bill Olson (Bill Olson) pushes his way past the weeds to get at the seed.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:04AM: The large Areca vestiaria was one among many throughout the tree farm, but seemed to stand out with prolific flowering and bright orange color.



- There were hundreds of palms that deserved closer inspection, but we did not have the time. I felt as if I could spend the entire day between the two farms just to photograph and observe it all. In the two biennials I have attended, I have noticed how certain 'balancing' in the planning make sure the excursions are acceptable by attendees. There are some who would like to spend the entire day in one location, while such a trip might be too long or too heavy for others. This idea doesn't always work out as planned but it usually looks good on paper. Newly appointed IPS Director and Forum member Kathryn Ostadal (Kathryn) was one of the first to point out this very peculiar looking Princess Palm variety, Dictyosperma album var. conjugatum (furfuraceum).



- This variety became an instant favorite by many who saw it for the first time. It's characteristic persistent reins along the edges of the leaves, in addition to the very fine leaflet arrangement, make it stand out compared to the regular Princess Palm.



- The crownshaft was brightly colored with a thick white covering that extended down into the internodes. The inflorescence appeared to be a little small, but it seemed the tree had not flowered much and might be just starting to do so.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:06AM: A hefty clump of Pinanga coronata (kuhlii) marked the edge of one intersection of pathways.



- On some palms the inflorescences might be just as colorful as the rest of the plant. It is interesting when the fruit begins to mature the rachillae change color to bright pink.



- The tree farm had many areas to explore and so little time to do it in. The Pinanga coronata is on the left.



- A pair of very tall Royal Palms of unknown species, I heard someone mention they could be Roystonea altissima.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:11AM: The Biennials are an opportunity to not only see great palms in their native habitat, but are also a place to revisit with long time friends. Host of the 2008 Biennial and purveyor of palms, Marco Herrero greets and welcomes Jeff Searle to his tree farm. Marco and Jeff go way back to the first time they met about fifteen years ago during Jeff's first trip to Costa Rica. Since then, Jeff has traveled to the country five additional times including this year's biennial.



- 9:20AM: In one side area not far from a path, resided this one very popular palm. When attendees first saw this one tree and another one nearby, many asked the same question, "Is that the Orange Crush?" and instantly became enamored with it. The fame that accompanies the Orange Crush, Dypsis pilulifera, is an example of how the internet and the Forum effect how people learn about palms. South Florida Forum members Linda Talbott (Linda Apriletti) and Bill Olson (Bill Olson) pose next to the palm of the hour, before another person jumps into frame.



- Marco was leading a small group of attendees around while presenting them with a tour of his farm. Most people were off on their own but occasionally we would meet up with Marco's tour. He seemed a bit overwhelmed at times being blanketed with tons of questions and identification requests, but he was having a great time.



- 9:22AM: This one palm consumed a large amount of seed hunters' time. This large tree Pinanga, which I believe to be P. speciosa, did not give up its seed willingly. There were few on the ground, and the inflorescences were just out of reach.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:24AM: A tighter shot of the same Pinanga speciosa as above, showing the purple crownshaft and very short petioles.



- This vivacious Dutchman's Pipe vine was growing across several trees and was covered with dinner plate sized blooms. I used to collect these and other bad smelling plants when I was a kid. I never had one with a bloom this large though. I believe it to be the Brazilian Dutchman's Pipe, Aristolochia gigantea but it might not be.



- 9:27AM: We became aware that we only had an hour left at this wonderful place so many picked up the pace and began to walk faster and take fewer seed. These two smiles sum up the day very well. Walking back the same path as before, I found a group continuing to admire the Orange Crush, Dypsis pilulifera. It was one overworked celebrity for sure. The smiles belong to Californian Forum member Jack Sayers (elHoagie) and his wife Lindsey 'laHoagie'.



- There were several open areas that supported full sun species, including this moderate Old Man Palm, Coccothrinax crinita.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:28AM: With cameras at the ready, our moderators, Dean Ouer (Dypsisdean) and Angela Blakely (putu enjula) become captivated by something in the distance. There were plenty of plants and animals to keep one's attention on during the visit.



- A healthy Calyptrocalyx polyphyllus had a full compliment of tear-drop shaped leaflets.



- It was tucked under a few other palms and was beginning to flower. There is a large ant about a third of the way up the unbranched inflorescence, to the right side.



- 9:32AM: The Calyptrocalyx polyphyllus had a nice grouping of rare palms located in its neighborhood. The first one to catch the attention of our group was this strange looking unknown. It is an Arenga sp., but myself along with Jeff Searle had never seen it before. It resembled a large Arenga hookeriana, but with ultra-fine divided leaflets. It would be nice to see this palm in South Florida cultivation somewhere.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:33AM: At first glace, I was not sure which genus this palm belonged in. It became a quick ID challenge that required a temperate palm growing attendee to identify. This is Trachycarpus wagnerianus, which is now lumped in with T. fortunei and it is doing very well in a Costa Rican tree farm. It was first planted in shade but has since grown out into full sun. That palm on the left is a Bottle Palm, Hyophorbe lagenicaulis.



- FM. Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms) tests the armaments of this slow growing Seychelles native, Nephrosperma van-houtteanum. It was a small plant, but I figure it must grow faster in Costa Rica than it does in South Florida.



- 9:34AM: A small Kerriodoxa elegans looks as if it was recently planted next to one of the shadehouses. It was getting a fair amount of sun and yet looked like it was enjoying it.



- A mystery for all of you tropical flowering tree enthusiasts out there on the Forum. This Saraca, Brownea-type bloom belonged to a short, squatty tree that kept people scratching their heads.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:35AM: Attendee André Lundkvist takes a closer look at the same flower featured above. The tree had leaves like a Brownea or Saraca, but a few people said it was not in those genera.



- 9:37AM: Into the shadehouses we went, snakes be damned. I was not surprised to see such a lush example of a Diamond Joey, Johannesteijsmannia altifrons at the tree farm, but I seldom see one so large. Jeff mentioned he remembered seeing these palms only slightly smaller a few years back.



- Many of the shadehouses were filled with these giant tree ferns. There were hundreds of Angiopteris evecta all over the place. They seemed to have become naturalized under all the shade cloth.



- 9:40AM: IPS President and Forum member Bo-Göran Lundkvist (bgl) discusses the Joey Palm with fellow FM. Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms). Bill is trying to figure out how he could mail the palm home.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:41AM: Along one edge of the shadehouse, a compact Licuala spinosa takes up residence.



- In the back of my mind, I had to keep an eye out for cycads when ever I could. This large female cone belonged to a Zamia fairchildiana that was fighting for space.



- It had a few nice leaves but had much more growing to do.



- 9:43AM: A common viewpoint from within the shadehouse. I am not sure how large or how many shade houses there were, but they seemed to extend into the distance.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:43AM: This Calyptrogyne sp. had leaves with a greater division in the leaflets. The new emergent leaves lacked any color but the familiar glaucous covering was on the leaf undersides. It certainly looked different. There are about thirty species in the genus and I have only seen a scant few. No seed was found unfortunately.



- The Golden Orb-Weaver Spider (Nephila maculata) had a bright and shiny web that made it very easy to avoid walking into, which is a good thing. This spider is very tame, and she will often let other spiders walk across her own web.



- 9:50AM: The ten o'clock hour was approaching and we knew time was running out. We expected to hear a whistle around 10:30 so we tried to keep ourselves moving, but it was hard when you see a Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana that looked this good bearing seed.



- There was a row of these Vampire Palms, Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana along one edge of a shadehouse and many were loaded with mature seed. This individual was showing off with a nice emergent leaf that still had some light red color.



Ryan

[Palmarum]

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica
Day 02: Sunday, May 4th

Marco Herrero Farm
Group 2: Bus #3 & Bus #4

- 9:52AM: We made our way through the shade houses very carefully. In addition to the threat of poisonous snakes and insects, there were holes everywhere concealed by weeds. Attendees took turns finding paths through and others followed along in single file behind them. By the end of the day, I had not heard of a single incident at either farm.



- This species of Pinanga kept me thinking for some time in the attempt to identify it. I crossed out a few possibilities and was left with P. dicksonii.



- 9:53AM: We left the shadehouse and headed back to the main road. Just before leaving, we noticed a hidden clump of Reinhardtia simplex bearing perfect, black fruit.



- 9:57AM: There was one area under canopy that held a collection of Licuala species mixed in with other plants. This giant L. ramsayi formed part of the canopy and had perfect leaves. The palm was much larger than it appears.



Ryan