Brazil 2009 - a prelude to the 2010 Biennial

[Licuala]

John DeMott and I have just returned from Brazil where we met up with Jill Menzel and Randall Quirk, who some of you will remember from the Dominican Republic Biennial. We went to Brazil check out the various day to day sites for the 2010 Biennial and take care of some of the details to make sure this will be an enjoyable and smooth trip for all attendees.

To whet your appetite, we thought it would be fun to show you some photos of our trip so you can see what will be awaiting you next April. Over the next several days I will put more and more photos up of the various places we will visit.

I will say right now that I think anyone choosing to go on this biennial will come away with an enjoyable lifetime experience.

Sooooo, without further ado ……………..

The flight from Miami was eight hours and 40 minutes. It is the most unpleasurable part of the entire trip. Upon arriving in Rio, attendees will be met by guides from the tour company after you get through immigration and customs. For those of you (like us Americans) who need a visa to enter Brazil, make sure you follow the requirements for obtaining a visa in the right time frame as outlined by the Brazilian consulate nearest you. For me, I went to Miami. Their website is here: http://brazilmiami.org/eng/visas.php I got a tourist visa as it is the simplest to get. It is good for 5 years. One key thing to remember is that you must get your visa within 90 days of going to Brazil. It will be considered invalid if you get it sooner than that. Cost was $130 but can be more if you get it by mail or a third party.

From the airport, you will be taken to the Windsor Barra Hotel, about a 45 minute drive. You will see a bit of the city and sea port before getting to a more scenic area. My biggest surprise was the site of giant ocean oil rigs being assembled before being towed out to sea.

On this trip, we did not stay at the Windsor only because it was more convenient for our purposes to be more in town. We did thoroughly check out the Windsor however and we all were very impressed by its facilities and amenities. It is considered one of the very best hotels in Rio with a Brazilian 5 star rating. It has the ability to host much larger groups than ours. The day we were there, there were 3 different conventions being held. They are booked for conventions for the next 5 years, so we may be considered lucky to have been able to get our group into such a good hotel.

The day we were there, it was a rainy day, so taking photos was not easy. I ended up borrowing a couple from the internet.

Photo borrowed from the internet of the Windsor Barra Hotel. The Hotel is separated from a beautiful beach by a divided highway.

Another photo borrowed from the internet showing the coastline view from the hotel.

The main lobby of the hotel during a busy day with 3 conventions going on.

the hotel rooms are modern, clean, and have ocean views.

[Licuala]

Full minibar with everything you need for those late night parties ......... errrrr .........I mean meaningful palm discussions.

John found the bathrooms roomy and comfortable.

The rooftop pool has views of the mountains on one side and the ocean on the other side.

[Licuala]

We had the typical lunch buffet at the hotel and had an excellent meal. The assortment of food was amazing. A full breakfast buffet is included every morning for attendees.

But enough of such things. I know you want to see gardens and plants, so I will get into that next.

Pablo

[Kathryn]

I can't wait! Is there any way we could move the biennial up a few months?

[bgl]

Paul,

Great photos! Looking forward to the rest!

Bo-Göran

[Kim]

Ah, the rooftop pool. I hope that's a jacuzzi at the far end.

Show us something palmy, more photos!

[Licuala]

Jardin Botanico do Rio de Janeiro was founded in 1808 by John VI of Portugal with its purpose being to introduce and acclimate economically important plants from other tropical regions of the world. Depending on who you talk to it has 6000 to 8000 species of plants, including 900 species of palms – both native and exotic. The Garden is located on a 350 acre site within the city. Only 40% of the site is developed with the remainder native Atlantic Forest.

A sign by the entrance lists sponsors of the Garden. I thought it a bit ironic that the very first sponsor was none other than Stihl - makers of fine chain saws.

The Avenue of Royal Palms spans 800 yards with 134 Roystonea planted. All these palms were grown from a single tree known as the Palma Mater. Many are 100 feet tall or taller. It nis an absolutely beautiful sight and one of the most famous parts of the Garden.

From the middle the view looking one way

and looking the other way

[Licuala]

Christ the Redeemer statue can be seen from all over the city including here at the Garden. Here is a view of it with Aiphanes horrida in the foreground.

The Aiphanes were some of the nicest I have seen anywhere in the world. That did not make them any easier to photograph though.

Hmmmmm ............. I wonder why the species name is horrida?

The Garden was well thought out and the design makes viewing the plants easy. There are many statues and fountains throughout. Here we caught a maintenance worker doing his own redeeming pose while working on a fountain.

[Licuala]

There are beautiful ponds and waterfalls to sit by.

Because of our own time constraints, we were unable to spend much time at the Garden this trip, but for the Biennial, we are planning on spending an entire day at this Garden. There is just so much to see here and there is no reason why we should try and rush through it all. The plan is to have a catered lunch as well as have two speakers give talks in the auditorium here.

Many of the specimens are extremely old and the biggest I have seen anywhere. Here is an Acrocomia (Gastrococos) crispa.

[Licuala]

Here is a Mauritia flexuosa

and hopefully you can make out this really old Hyophorbe verschaffeltii

If you are also a flowering tree buff, here is an Amherstia nobilis, which seemed to be in many places we visited and is something of a holy grail of flowering trees where I live in South Florida.

[Licuala]

There is a good number of the native palms of Brazil in the Garden, although we did not have the time to explore for them. During the Biennial we will have guides that can take everyone to the various parts of the Garden to show off all the palm species. For those who cannot walk far and wide, there will be golf carts available to transport you to different areas or back to the main gate or auditorium where the lunch and speakers will be. This is a Bactris species by the main gate.

This is one of the oldest and biggest Kapok trees I have ever seen.

Your's truly at the base of the Kapok to give some scale.

One of the smallest of a group of Attaleas planted in a circle around a statue

[Licuala]

Here is a Borassus next to a Corypha umbraculifera. I have some amazing Corypha photos to post from another garden later on, but this gives you an idea how the 2 biggest fan palms in the world measure up to each other.

If you are into aroids such as Philodendrons and Anthuriums, you will not be disappointed by what you will see in Brazil. Here is Philodendron undulatum growing in full sun in the Garden.

A Livistona chinensis looking very attractive in the landscape.

I think everyone will agree that the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden will be a highlight of the trip. I don't know if you will go as far as to join this group dancing by the main gate, but then knowing this group, you never know!

Next I will move on to what we will be visiting another day.

pablo

[KONADANTOM]

Aloha Paul, and Mahalo for giving us a preview of our upcoming adventure in Brazil. This will be the first time I've ever traveled south of the equator. I look forward to seeing palm friends from our 2008 Biennial, and making some new palm friends in April 2010.

[Kathryn]

Ah, the rooftop pool. I hope that's a jacuzzi at the far end.

I think that is a jacuzzi. I wonder how many palm nuts we can fit in there.

[Licuala]

Ah, the rooftop pool. I hope that's a jacuzzi at the far end.

I think that is a jacuzzi. I wonder how many palm nuts we can fit in there.

It is indeed a jacuzzi ............. and a rather large one!

pablo

[bgl]

Paul,

I'm really glad we have a full day scheduled at the Rio Botanical Garden! I'm sure the entire week will be an unforgettable experience, but I particularly look forward to seeing the Rio Botanical Garden. Have heard a lot about it. And your photos only add to that.

Bo-Göran

[amazondk]

Paul,

It looks like you had a good trip. I do hope that I am able to attend the bieniel. I plan on it anyway. I have spent a lot of time in Rio over the years and have a lot of good memories, and a few bad like having a guy stick a gun in my head and relieve me of my car. But, that was a long time ago. I am sure people will enjoy their trip there. Rio is in a good moment with the World Cup games coming in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. I love the Jardim Botanico. It is a wonderful place. It is interesting to note that the Tijuca forest behind the Jardim Botanico was mostly deforested at the time the garden was made. The area was used to grow coffee. This was the first public reforestation project in South America and was started in 1861 and over the 13 years of the project 100,000 trees were planted. It now looks like it has been there forever. But, it hasn´t and one of the clues is the large amount of jack fruit growing in the forest. I used to take my car and just cruise around the roads around Corcovado which overlook the Botanical Garden and the city. I look forward to seeing more of your pictures.

dk

[Licuala]

Paul,

It looks like you had a good trip. I do hope that I am able to attend the bieniel. I plan on it anyway. I have spent a lot of time in Rio over the years and have a lot of good memories, and a few bad like having a guy stick a gun in my head and relieve me of my car. But, that was a long time ago. I am sure people will enjoy their trip there. Rio is in a good moment with the World Cup games coming in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. I love the Jardim Botanico. It is a wonderful place. It is interesting to note that the Tijuca forest behind the Jardim Botanico was mostly deforested at the time the garden was made. The area was used to grow coffee. This was the first public reforestation project in South America and was started in 1861 and over the 13 years of the project 100,000 trees were planted. It now looks like it has been there forever. But, it hasn´t and one of the clues is the large amount of jack fruit growing in the forest. I used to take my car and just cruise around the roads around Corcovado which overlook the Botanical Garden and the city. I look forward to seeing more of your pictures.

Hi Don,

I look forward to seeing more of it as well. Our stay at the Garden was far too short this time around.

Psaul

[Licuala]

On one day we will go near the town of Teresopolis to the Serra das Orgaos National Park. It is just about a 2 hour drive from the hotel. There are 2 entrances to the park, so the group with split up with half going to one entrance and the other to the other entrance. The 2 groups will then switch. There are some different palms to see at each entrance. Walking is easy with some up and down and people can hike some of the trails off the road if they wish. Palms that will be seen at the park will include lots of Euterpe edulis, Acrocomia aculeata, Astrocaryum aculeatissimum, Geonoma schottiana, Lytocaryum weddelianum, and some other Bactris, Syagrus, and Geonoma species as well as many other species of plants. During our visit, we were only able to check out one of the entrances, so did not see all the plants that we will see during the Biennial. The 2 entrances are at 2 different elevations so the plant life is somewhat different at the 2 locations. A box lunch will be provided that day.

After our visit to the Park, we will travel a short distance to see a large population of Attalea apoda after which we will travel back to Rio for dinner.

On the way to the national park we will see a Bactris species growing in isolated spots along streams as well at Attalea compta, Syagrus species and Allagoptera (Polyandrococos) caudescens.

Attalea compta growing in the distance on a hillside

Attalea compta

Allagoptera caudescens is relatively widespread and we will see it several days during our journeys.

[Licuala]

Brazil is home to lots of Bromeliad species. Wherever you go, you will see them growing on everything, especially on the sides of steep slippery, rock slopes. These appeared to be Vriesea imperialis

A beautiful cultivar growing next to a restaurant ………………… and the bromeliad ain’t bad either!

The entrance to the National Park

[Licuala]

There seemed to be 2 forms of Geonoma schottiana growing here. One had a much thinner leaflet than the other, or perhaps one was a different species ………….. Before the Biennial, we will get a better handle on all the species of palms we will see so everyone will know for sure what they are looking at.

The finer leafed form of Geonoma schottiana

The wider leaflet form of Geonoma schottiana

Fruit of the Geonoma was ripening when we were there.

Astrocaryum aculeatissimum

[Licuala]

Acrocomia aculeata growing up through the understory

Jill Menzel is largely responsible for having the 2010 Biennial in Brazil and has been the point person setting up the entire trip. Randall Quirk, who lives in Orlando, often helps Jill with the details during trips. As you can tell, this will be one really fun Biennial!

This was the largest species of Seliginella fern I have ever seen. This is one of those areas where you can stand in one spot and see dozens upon dozens of different plants wherever you look.

A stream flowing through the Park. All the rock here is very smooth. I cannot figure out how various plants find a way to adhere to it, but they do.

[Licuala]

This version of Lytocaryum weddelianum may go back to its original name, Lytocaryum insigne. It was lumped into L. weddelianum a few years ago, but it appears it is about to be split back out again soon.

A closeup of the leaf undersides and yes the underside of the leaf is really that color while the top of the leaf is deep green.

Euterpe edulis grows in large colonies in this area. Anyway for some Acai fruit?

[Licuala]

This was an unusual tree that flowers on the trunk. The photos I took of the canopy did not turn out well as the sun was directly overhead. Anyone have an idea as to what it is?

We were up around 1000 meters, so Cyathea tree ferns were plentiful.

[Licuala]

Epiphytes were literally dripping off the trees. This one was particularly well dressed with ferns, bromeliads, aroids, cacti, orchids, and who knows what else. It is one of those trees you can sit under and stare at for hours trying to ID all the species living on it.

A closeup of the same tree.

At the end of the day, I tried my first cachaca, which is an alcoholic drink made from sugarcane, but different from rum. This was cachaca mixed with passion fruit juice, some sugar, and ice. I know I look a little apprehensive here and Randall a bit devilish holding the passion fruit, but after one sip, I was sold!

The more typical drink made from cachaca is called caipirinha and is made with lime juice instead of passion fruit juice. I highly recommend it!!

Next I will shopw y'all the day featuring Roberto Burle Marx Garden.

pablo

[bgl]

Great pictures and you obviously had a fantastic day! And you get to experience this TWICE! Wow!

[Salvades]

This looks amazing!

[Al in Kona]

Estou pronto! (I'm ready!)

[Licuala]

So, on another day, half the group will go to Sitio Roberto Burle Marx Garden while the other half of the group will go to the nursery and Garden of Herminio Campos Simoes. At lunch time we will all meet at Parque Natural Municipal da Prainha. After lunch the groups will switch – those who went to Sitio Roberto Burle Marx will go to Herminio’s and those who were at Herminio’s in the morning will go to Sitio Roberto Burle Marx. At the end of the days tours, we will all have dinner in Rio.

Roberto Burle Marx was a world renown landscape designer of parks and gardens who was born in 1909 and passed away in 1994.

He was also known as an urban space designer and a modern nature artist. The property that was his home, nursery, and garden was donated to the Brazilian government in 1985 and became known as Sitio Roberto Burle Marx. There are approximately 3500 species of plants here, many collected by Roberto from his various travels.

Right outside the Garden office was this beautiful plant, which I am still trying to figure out. I know I have seen it before ………. somewhere, but clueless what it is. Anyone have an idea?

[Licuala]

Walking through such a well designed Garden is a special treat. It was spring time in Brazil and many of the trees were in flower.

The day we were there, it rained lightly but steadily and because of our time constraints, we were unable to see much of the Garden, but still the small part we saw only whet our appetite to see more when we return in April for the Biennial.

This was the largest Licuala peltata sumawongii I have ever seen. It was full of green fruit.

In another part of the Garden we uncovered this Lilliputian palm, Licuala triphylla.

[Licuala]

It had a nice infructescence of ripe seed. And for those wondering, L. triphylla can have 3 to 5 leaf segments

Corypha umbraculifera are found in many gardens in this part of Brazil. No matter where you find them, they are always an impressive sight.

A beautiful specimen of Syagrus macrocarpa. This is a palm that should be in cultivation more!

The fruit are definitely large and the name macrocarpa is well deserved..

[Licuala]

We spent much of our time in the shadehouses as they afforded some protection from the persistent rain. The aroid collection is incredible with mature specimens of many Philodendrons, Anthuriums, and others. Anyone interested in this plant family will be in for a treat.

Here is a sampling of some of the Philodendrons

[Licuala]

and a couple more ..............

A pendulous Heliconia amongst other heliconia and ginger species showing off for us.

This was a magnificent small Geonoma species that caught my eye.

[Licuala]

As if The Roberto Burle Marx Garden is not enough to see in one day, it is just part of what there will be to visit this day. The entire group will meet for lunch at Prainha Park, which is located right on a beach. Those who wish can go for a swim here before lunch.

On the way to Prainha we will pass by large masses of Allagoptera arenaria growing on the dunes almost to the water’s edge. There are literally tens of thousands of Allagoptera all along the coast here where development has not occurred.

The drive along the coast is magnificent to say the least

Allagoptera (Polyandrococos) caudescens poking its head up above the scrub along the road near Prainha

[Licuala]

Syagrus picrophylla grows in and around Prainha mostly on the slopes of the hills coming down to the ocean

Syagrus picrophylla way up on the hills at Prainha. For those bold enough, there are trails leading up to them.

The day we were there, the ocean was rather rough from strong winds blowing in. Hopefully it will be much calmer in April as it is a beautiful beach and I am sure some will want to dip their feet in the surf.

There are some hiking trails in Prainha, one of which is a short hike up to a lookout area. After having lunch and doing some exploring, the group will divide in two again and go off to either the Roberto Burle Marx Garden or Herminio’s.

Some of you may remember Herminio Campos Simoes from the Costa Rican Biennial. He is nursery owner as well as having an extensive collection of palms in the ground. We will take our time looking at all the different species found here.

Herminio

[Licuala]

A field of Licuala grandis

Heading off to Herminio's Garden

Caryota zebrina with its distinctive zebra-like stripes on the leaf stems.

[Licuala]

This is Licuala mattanensis. The variety, Licuala mattanensis ‘Mapu’, is a mottled form of this species.

Licuala ‘Mapu’, which is one of THE most photogenic palms in the world.

A beautiful little Butia species that I have yet to get identified

The new red leaf of Hydriastele pinangoides.

[Licuala]

An avenue of Areca vestiaria

Close-up of the orange collar palm

A large impressive clump of Chamaedorea fragrans

Dypsis madagascariensis with an unusual split trunk

[Licuala]

There are so many species of palms to see at Herminios, both native to Brazil and exotic. I can only say that attendees will be thoroughly impressed.

Here is the native Syagrus oleracea at Herminio’s

Thus ends another day of what the Brazil Biennial offers. If I had to guess, I would say attendees will be exposed to over 500 palm species today, both in habitat and cultivation.

[bgl]

Paul,

Very impressive! Looks like another extremely exciting day!

Bo-Göran