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It was time for round up to control weeds. My two gallon hudson sprayer had about one gallon in it and I needed to add more pressure. Just after finishing plunging it to the right pressure KABOOM! It actually made a loud enough boom to where my next door neighbor came over to see what's up. I had a brimmed baseball hat on and it had a few drops on it. My tee shirt was completely dry but, my face was soaked with round up! I promptly hose off my face. Went and got another hudson sprayer from a box store. It comes with a pressure relief valve, a cool new feature my othe one didn't have. I seem to be ok after being sprayed with round up except my fingers are wilting abit:D PICS!!! click on them to enlarge Randy

the Brahea armata in europe it works great, once planted ,never dies ,also Trithrinax species south europe very ok while the Dypsis decipiens and parajubaea torallyi: do not like the heat of the Mediterranean ,in summer always die

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 1:01PM: The ‘would be’ peace offering seemed to be a large wasp or bee. Eventually, the other bird grew tired of the interaction or of us watching and flew off. This bird then went ahead and ate its prize. You can see the characteristic racket-end of the Motmot's tail. - 1:03PM: The Puente Vista Arenal or the popular Arenal View Bridge had the most desired of all views. It is the same height as the Waterfall Bridge so we had an almost endless supply of rain forest below to gaze upon. - 1:04PM: It did not look like the cloud cover would move on any time in the near future, so we enjoyed what views we did had of the Arenal Volcano. Our guides told us it was possible for the volcano to become clear at a moments notice. - 1:05PM: The thick and heavy, bottle-brush like leaves belonging to the Iriartea deltoidea were amazing to look at up close. The petioles and rachises were super strong to keep the leaves so straight. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 12:50PM: We were surprised to find this juvenile Geonoma cuneata growing right at the edge of the trail, in between turf blocks. It is a true survivor to have withstood the foot traffic of numerous park patrons. - 12:52PM: The more photos I took, the longer I lagged behind. No worries, as it was expected for sure. There were always those who were also not in a hurry, such as FMs. Bill Olson (Bill Olson) and Linda Talbott (Linda Apriletti). We came under the shadow of a large Astrocaryum alatum literally growing over the trail. - 12:53PM: Bill points out the cluttered root boss that seemed to be at the verge of collapse. - 12:59PM: The trail continued up around the corner where it met up with another large bridge. Just before we made it onto the bridge, we were greeted by a pair of Blue-crowned Motmots, Momotus momota. These two seemed to be in some sort of communication ritual. The bird on the right had a large insect in its beak and was following the other one around. Whenever the bird on the left would move to a new branch, the food carrier would not be far behind. It was theorized that it was the male following the female around with an offering of food. Perhaps he said something he shouldn't have. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 12:42PM: The small incident back on the Waterfall Bridge made everyone a little jumpy when it came to how these metal constructs were put together. FM. Jeff Searle takes a moment to inspect cables belonging to the Pilon Tree Bridge. "These bolts look like they're made of plastic." Luckily, they were not. - 12:44PM: This showy sprout had everyone guessing as to what it was. We figured it was possibly either Geonoma deversa [most likely], or G. ferruginea. The word "shovel" was being heard whispered around... - 12:45PM: "Paul!" I startled him by yelling his name to get him to smile. He didn't, but Bill did. We entered a section of the trail that was heavy with low canopy and thick with brush. There were quite a few turns. We stopped occasionally when a bird was either seen or heard. - 12:46PM: "Bus #4 attendees always walk single file to hide their numbers." The trail gained an increasingly steeper angle as we moved along. People began to see birds moving around in the distance along with a few palm rich areas. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 12:33PM: With the narrow room while on the bridge, it made it difficult to capture portraits with people posing with the view in behind. I leaned as far back as I dared and used 18mm to get Linda and Bill together on the bridge. - I gave up trying to get better portraits, but I wanted to get one more group shot at the center of the span. With help from everyone in the photo, I captured them while they were in a smiling, staggered row. I forced out a higher aperture for some greater depth of field, to get everyone's face in the best focus possible. From front to back: FMs. Jeff Searle, Dan Ashley (KONADANTOM), Bill Olson (Bill Olson), Linda Talbott (Linda Apriletti), Craig Morgan (el Gato Grande), IPS Director Kathryn Ostadal (Kathryn) and Jayanne Crawley (La Lady). When we were finished taking photos we began to make our way off the bridge. As we were walking, we both felt and heard a loud snapping sound coming from under our feet. <SNAP!..tinging> One of the horizontal bracing members of the bridge had failed and broke when we walked over it. We quickly surmised that the bridge currently held more than the 12 person limit so we quickly made our way off. - 12:35PM: When we made it back on solid ground, Jeff pointed back at the bridge and informed our guide Jorge and everyone else to what had happened. They didn't believe it at first and were a bit surprised, as their expressions would show. - 12:38PM: With that situation behind us, we continued on the trail. We were now more attentive about the amount of people that were on a bridge at one time. We found a small Zamia buried in leaf litter. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 12:18PM: The climb was constant and energizing in its own way. At some points the slope of the trail was steeper than 45º. CRT Guide Jorge was called over by Bill and Linda to identify something they had seen in the valley. - 12:20PM: With the direction we were heading up the trail, we quickly covered the distance to the Waterfall Bridge, but we were underneath it. The trail continued past the bridge then weaved back and forth up the mountain slope. I would like to be able to say that one side of the trail in this photo was level, but neither was. I was standing on a bench at a u-turn in the trail in order to capture this photo depicting the degree of climb. - 12:21PM: I was within minutes of reaching the Waterfall Bridge when I found an clearing in the canopy along the trail. I was able to get the attention of attendees from my sub-group as they were beginning to cross the bridge. From the left, Andrea Searle, FMs. Judy Norris (Queen of Bling), LeAnn Holmes, Judy & Jim Glock (jglock1). I always enjoy getting shots like these. They seem to represent the feeling of the day more than most. In the background towards the left, I could hear the loud scream "Damn' it Searle! Stop it!" echo through the trees. - 12:22PM: The phrase was being urgently repeated by FM. Paul Norris (Palmnorris) [2nd from left]. Paul has a small problem with heights and he was doing well until the compassionate person behind him, Jeff Searle, started to rock and sway the bridge back and forth. Paul decided not to wave, but to keep his hands firmly attached to the railing. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 11:42AM: I wanted to get a photo of someone in the middle of the tunnel, so I did a quick 180º turn to see who was behind me. The last one of the group to reach the tunnel was FM. Jeff Searle and he was busy looking for snakes... - The tunnel seemed to be well constructed, as it was one giant metal pipe covered in concrete. I wonder what manner of creatures uses this place as homes during the night. - 11:43AM: The flora changed slightly on the other side of the tunnel. We quickly saw many representatives of Chamaedorea tepejilote scattered all over. This specimen was taking the art of making aerial roots to a new level. - 11:44AM: "Is it raining?" "Hmm, why does it smell like pee?" "Monkeys!" We stumbled into a large troop of monkeys high above us in the canopy. As soon as one attendee pointed one out, everyone turned, aimed and fired like turrets. The monkeys were moving to our right as we were going straight along the trail. A few seconds later, we could here Howler Monkeys far in the distance. People began to make the decision to both stay and watch these White-Faced Capuchin Monkeys, or run ahead and try to capture the Howlers making a loud racket. I chose to stay, and I feel I made the better decision. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 11:32AM: We could hear the clanging noise of boots on bridge coming from up ahead. The descriptions of a 'giant' bridge quickly spread up and down the line of attendees. We could see the forest open in the distance behind this picturesque Iriartea deltoidea juvenile. - 11:33AM: The identification challenges continued unabated. We knew the trail held a healthy amount of Geonoma species, so I was on guard to see how many I might know. This was the first member of the genus I spotted and I didn't ID it as Geonoma cuneata until I was back home. - 11:34AM: Another view of the same plant shows its acaulescent, non-trunking nature. It is an attractive palm and I wish more members of Geonoma could grow in South Florida. I could picture him in a large pot. - 11:35AM: The trail began to turn in the direction of the bridge ahead and off the trail and down a steep embankment we noticed this massive adult Iriartea deltoidea. It was in a constant state of seed production and one of the newer inflorescences had its large spathe still attached. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 11:30AM: "I got to get a photo of you with these roots, they don't grow like that in Texas." FM. Judy Norris (Queen of Bling) poses under an Iriartea deltoidea stilt root base for her husband Paul Norris. - A much larger set of stilt roots not far away became the center of attention for one reason or another. FM. Jeff Searle convinces Andrea Searle to do a unique pose with them as FM. Jim Glock (jglock1) readies his camera. IPS Director Kathryn Ostadal (Kathryn) looks on. - 11:32AM: With his attention to detail, CRT Guide Jorge points out several items of interest to FM. Linda Talbott (Linda Apriletti). There were very few things that Jorge did not know, and he would admit it if he didn't. - I turned 180º to find everyone looking at and taking photos of FM. Bill Olson (Bill Olson) as he did an impression of a National Geographic explorer. This was one of a few spots along the trail between bridges where full sun penetrated the canopy. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 10:45AM: The Arenal Hanging Bridges were on a mountain across from the volcano. To get to them, we have to drive all the way around the volcano and cross over the Arenal Dam. The dam prevents Lake Arenal from emptying into the Arenal River creating the largest fresh water reservoir in the country. - "Feel free to take all the Dam pictures you want." This was the eastern end of the lake and this tower seemed to have some sort of monitoring function. You could see where the water level reached during the wet season. - We reached the end of the dam and this one corner of the lake was filled with boats and all sorts of watercraft. - 10:49AM: The road over the dam went on and followed the edge of the lake. After a short drive, we did a u-turn and took an alternate road that went behind the dam and up the mountain side. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 9:08AM: Hang on to your breakfast. We began the constant ups and downs of the mountain roads as we progressed on a general northerly direction. - 9:22AM: We gained altitude at a record pace and began to drive through clouds instead of seeing then in the sky above. We provided amusement for a primary school while driving by. We waved, they waved, and we waved back. We wondered what the boy sitting on the shrine had done, since it looked like he was being punished. - 9:48AM: It clouded up a bit, but the no-rain pattern continued and we didn't see a drop fall. The forests got thicker and the views got even more spectacular. We had been on the road now for over two hours, but you couldn't tell that by looking at attendees. People grew tired of rest and became restless. Some who were sitting on aisle seats took turns delivering beverages from the back of the bus to people up front. - 9:50AM: We were riding along the side of a mountain and could see for miles. I was hoping it would clear up some so I could get better shots. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 05: Wednesday, May 7th Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> Arenal Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 8:08AM: Spirits were high on Bus #4, as we rolled on down the highway the jokes and laughter was plentiful. We were passing the Dos Pinos co-op Dairy Facility, the largest dairy plant in all Central America, when the bus began to slow down. We pulled off the road and our forward momentum came to a halt and we began looking at each other with expressions of "uh oh" and "oh crap". It seemed Bus #4 was short an attendee... - 8:13AM: [Delay #1] One of the CRT guides got on the PA system and informed us we were missing an attendee and that he was being brought to us via a taxi, at his expense. It was going to be a short wait hopefully, so we passed the time like usual. FM. Jeff Searle talks with Judy Kay off on my left, while FMs. Jim Glock (jglock1) and Robert Wilson (Rainforestt Robert) add to the conversation. - 8:26AM: We all talked and talked, laughed, while others began dipping into the beer supply early. Nearly twenty minutes had passed since we stopped when FM. Jon Kenaghan (Bilbo) boarded the bus. He was the guilty attendee who mixed up departure times. We were glad we left early so we at least didn't lose too much time. It wasn't going to be the only delay of the day however. - 8:27AM: Most people looked at the situation with humor and we joked with Jon as he passed down the aisle towards the back. Jon and Andrea Searle had an interesting exchange of comments, something about dreams? That part of the morning is still a bit fuzzy. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th: Conclusion Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel Bill, Linda and I returned to the hotel after 7:00PM. After a quick dash to and from my hotel room I made a run to the ballroom to see how things were progressing. As soon as I walked through the first set of double doors, I heard Bill Sanford yell "Andrea!" in a crescendo of sound that echoed throughout the room. An attendee at his table had begun to choke and Bill's instincts kicked in and thought of Andrea Searle who is a nurse. He first did a mellow "...Andrea..." before seeing that the person across from the table was in real trouble, then he followed up with the loud call everyone heard. In the span of a few seconds, another attendee at the table performed a quick Heimlich maneuver and then it was all over. Have this be a lesson to everyone out there that dinner rolls are not to be taken lightly. I managed to get in on the dinner buffet a few moments before they were going to start carting the food back into the kitchen. The presentation was long over with and everyone was asking where I had been. I sat down to eat the selection of food I was able to procure and told those who were interested, what we did in San Jose. - 8:07PM: I finished eating and took a walk around taking photos and talking to attendees that I had not seen since the first night of the Biennial. Even though this was the fourth night, part of us skipped the presentation and ate dinner separately on Sunday evening and we were on our own for dinner on Monday night. This caused a void for some of us in seeing other attendees, especially those from Group 1. Dinner was about over at this time and people begun to leave for the night, while others ordered another drink, or two. Towards the left side of the right hand table, you can see Forum member Jim Glock (jglock1) in a great mood smiling from ear to ear. - With no coaxing on my part, Jim gladly got next to Andrea Searle for a quick photo. Jim went on to say how he wanted to see Andrea don a cape and jump into action earlier in the evening. - 8:30PM: Churning bubbles, toil and trouble. The hot tub revs up for another evening of activity in the hot water. Everyone said to meet back at the hot tub after dinner and after taking time to look over photos and get stuff ready for tomorrow, I was the first one to arrive. - 8:56PM: I killed some time waiting by talking to attendees around the restaurant bar and getting a soda. I invited FM. Jon Kenaghan (Bilbo) over to talk with those of us who were now in or around the hot tub. We were soon joined by Bus #2 attendee Rob Branch, a veteran of the 2006 Biennial in the Dominican Republic. Our group quickly got larger, then smaller, then larger again as people came and went. I had camera gear to clean so I left not too long into the evening; leaving the hot tub guardians with the responsibility of finishing off the day. ...the Biennial is halfway over, and tomorrow we depart for our longest Bus #4 ride yet, to the north to pay homage to the Arenal volcano... Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th [National Theater, San Jose] -> Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel Part of Bus #4, Bill Olson, Linda Talbott and myself - 5:34PM: This skyscraper Royal Palm, Roystonea sp., was taking up residence at one corner of the park. We could not guess its full height, but it exceeded the six-story building to the right of it. The light was getting too low for any decent exposure so I put my camera away while we continued to visit downtown San Jose. We walked through one pedestrian only street while looking through a few shops before closing time and made it to the Post Office. I wanted to see if they had any interesting post cards or palm-influenced stamps, but no luck that time. I came up with one clever idea for the Biennial, but we were unable to make it happen before all the stores closed. That is a story for another day... - 6:31PM: Time had come for us to rendezvous with our taxi for the ride back to the hotel. We made our way through hundreds of people and arrived back at the National Theater. We had some time to kill so I did my best to again imitate a tripod and get night shots of the theater. This photo was a little noisy, as the ISO went up to compensate for higher shutter speed and lack of light. - 6:32PM: I had to dodge a few vagrants to capture this closer shot of the theater facade. I lowered the shutter speed and propped the camera on a railing to steady the shot. I need a carbon-fiber, compact tripod in the worst way. - 6:33PM: Bill came over and said the taxi driver found him and Linda, so it was time to leave. I took one more shot, doing my best to keep the camera still. This was one of my favorites of the batch I took, even though the shutter speed was higher than normal. I sort-of lucked out in a big way. We followed the driver to his parked taxi and were surprised he got out and looked for us. As we were driving back to the hotel, I had to thank Bill on having this great idea to visit the theater and the city. We began to wonder how much of the presentation, or dinner would be left for us when we got back. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> [National Theater, San Jose] Part of Bus #4, Bill Olson, Linda Talbott and myself - 4:48PM: In the center of the Plaza de la Democracia, a statue had been 'decorated' with graffiti. It is roughly translated as "First they ignore to you soon are laughed of you, later, they attack and then desire to you". It is a paraphrase of the popular Mahatma Gandhi quote "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." It makes you wonder what could be going on in Costa Rica. I crossed referenced it with the recent news in the country at the time and did not find any correlation. - 5:05PM: The open air market was one continuous line of shops and stalls from one avenue to another. The prices were good, and fell consistently as you walked past one vendor who was vying for your money. Bill and Linda check out one vendor while I looked around for anything that caught my attention. - 5:31PM: The market had tons of vendors to shop through, but we wanted to see more of the city before it got too dark. We turned and walked back uphill to the Central Park, which seemed to be the hub of activity at this time of the day. The park had its fair share of palms including this Canary Island Date Palm, Phoenix canariensis. - Dypsis! A good-sized Dypsis madagascariensis was being inundated by parrots. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> [National Theater, San Jose] Part of Bus #4, Bill Olson, Linda Talbott and myself - 4:41PM: At the rear of the National Museum, the entrance gate was closed but you could still see certain items of interest on the grounds. There were several cannon on display including some designs that spanned a few centuries. - Immediately behind the National Museum, a large colonial style house had a few large palms that caught our attention. The backyard was dominated by a pair of clumping Costa Rican Bamboo Palms, Chamaedorea costaricana. - 4:43PM: Graffiti was a popular sight among downtown buildings and structures. I could not read any of it, but there seemed to be a constant message that was trying to be implied. - 4:46PM: We finished a loop around the National Museum, Museo Nacional de Costa Rica, and arrived back in the Plaza de la Democracia. Sunlight was disappearing in a hurry. We walked past a street market earlier along the way and decided to go check it out while we still had some light to work with. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> [National Theater, San Jose] Part of Bus #4, Bill Olson, Linda Talbott and myself - 4:17PM: "There it is, I can almost see it." Our taxi driver showed his skills getting us through the San Jose traffic. Every beep and honk sounded like an impending fender bender. As we got closer, we began to figure out amongst ourselves when and where the taxi should come back for us. We decided two hours should be good enough, so we told the driver to come back at 6:30 right where he dropped us off. - 4:19PM: The National Theater of Costa Rica, Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica. The House of Drama that coffee built. Bill was explaining during the taxi ride how his father, William Olson, had traveled to Costa Rica and visited the theater in years prior. Ever since then, Bill has listened to his father's vivid descriptions of splendor and decadence and has always wanted to see the theater in person. This was a dream coming to fruition and that made this excursion oh so much better. I am always up for anything historical, like a moth to a light. It had been over 100 years since the first brick was laid and you could feel the history just by walking through the front gate. In 1888, the only theater in San Jose at the time was razed due to heavy damage caused by an earthquake. This municipal building had fulfilled the local needs for a theater, but in the time after its deconstruction, principal theater companies and performers would no longer include Costa Rica on their schedules. Avid theater goers didn't like this very well. A short time after, world famous performer and 'prima donna' Adelina Patti refused to perform anywhere in Costa Rica because there was no suitable establishment. This caused uproar among the aristocracy of Costa Rica including the coffee barons. At this time in the country's history, coffee was becoming a world-wide demand. To help fund the need for a new, world-class theater, an export tax on coffee was proposed, but not totally agreed upon. Construction and planning of the new National Theater began in November of 1890, without having a payment plan in effect. After years of debate in Congress, it wasn't until 1893 that an actual tax on coffee was put into effect by President José Juaquín Rodriguez and the theater was then paid for. - Costa Ricans were enthusiastic about their new Renaissance influenced theater, but this did not keep problems from arising. The entire early construction phase hit problem after problem. This continued until in 1895, world famous theater expert and Italian architect Ruy Cristóforo Molinari was hired to take over the project. During construction, no expense was spared. The interiors were lavishly decorated with pink marble from Italy, the best French furnishings including 22-karat gold embossed hardwood fixtures, classical English furniture and the list goes on. From just peering in the lobby, it looked as if I just stepped aboard the Titanic. The ceiling of the 1,040 seat theater included a Costa Rican inspired mural painting featuring aspects of life in the country. At 7:45PM, October 21st, 1897 the curtain rose for the first time for the French Opera Company's inaugural performance of Faust, and the rest is history. The National Theater is a beloved symbol of the nineteenth century and still is well loved by all Costa Ricans. During our visit, we were not allowed inside on this day, including access to the second floor foyer which is a history lesson all onto itself. Linda and Bill peer through the antique glass doors to try and get a look inside. - 4:20PM: The lobby of the theater included elaborate life-sized statues depicting the different genres of theater life, Comedy, Tragedy, Drama, etc. I was not sure which was which, as the marble inscriptions were hard to read in the dim light. Flash photography was not allowed, so I did my best as a human tripod. I think she might have represented Drama, because of her expression, but I am far from having an art degree. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park -> [Tourist Trap/Gift Shop] -> Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 2:15PM: Ignoring the dangers of the road behind me, I backed up to get a photo of FMs. Paul Norris (Palmnorris) and Ron Kiefert (moose knuckle) standing in front of the grocery store/restaurant. I thought I was nicked by a rear-view mirror at one point. - 2:19PM: Back inside the gift store, the registers were cranking away as attendees were getting in line to pay. Some were taking advantage of the stores complimentary coffee and well-stocked selection of beer. - 2:20PM: At the rear of the store, a native Indian was busy sewing and stitching crafts. She was making them at a high rate of speed. - The rear of the store was packed full of items, including wood carvings, pottery, inscribed novelties, clothing, etc. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park -> [Park Office, Lunch] -> Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 12:16PM: Emerging from the trail and spotting Bus #4 waiting for us was a welcome sight for attendees. When we were all on board, a subtle sigh of relaxation over took most everyone as alcoholic beverages combined with air conditioning. Our next stop was lunch and it was going to take place down the road at a park office. Hunger was a mutual feeling felt by everyone, tired, enthusiastic or otherwise. - 12:23PM: We barely had time to put our gear away, as we arrived at the park office with our lunch waiting for us. We had our choice of sandwich with assorted picnic fare and beverages. We each took turns grabbing a white box and finding a place in the shade to eat. FM. Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms) was walking towards me with his eyes staring at a new found interest, a vehicle he could not keep his attention away from. - 12:24PM: This was the first time during the Biennial that all members of Group 2 were able to sit and be together all in one location. As a result, we all had tons to talk about in between stuffing sandwiches in ourselves. Attendees took the time to relax and eat, myself included, while others decided to explore the grounds around the park office. - 12:48PM: Gotcha! Bus #3 attendee Larry "The Plant Guy" Aronson acts surprised as I took his photo. Lunch time at the park office was coming to an end so people finished eating and began to walk back to their bus. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 11:31AM: We looked high up into the crown of the Wild Nutmeg, Virola koschnyi, but could not see any of the birds as the fruit continued to fall. We grew tired of getting pelted so we moved on. - 11:36AM: We wandered into a very large colony of Astrocaryum alatum, one of the better looking armed palms of Costa Rica. There were many mature adults and they were all in different stages of flowering and fruiting. - The glaucous leaf undersides combined with the large black spines created a wonderful contrast. I was hoping more people would become interested in the genus during the Biennial. Some attendees couldn't get past the spines. They seemed to scare more then most. - The forest floor was littered with hundreds of healthy Astrocaryum alatum seedlings and small plants. They seemed to be popping up everywhere. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 11:11AM: These bridges had quite a bit to offer for the plant and palm enthusiast. There were flowers and seed pods that were now within reach of the average attendee. This was another great moment along the trail as there was always something new to see every few feet. Attendees would be running back and forth along the bridge as someone else called out they found something interesting. - 11:13AM: A colony of large ants were using this Chamaedorea tepejilote leaf to make their way to the bridge railing. No one among the CRT staff seemed to know this particular ant. They said it was familiar but the markings were different. - 11:14AM: This large-leafed tree is one of the most popular and well used hardwoods in the world, even though it is very soft. It was making a home out of one of the culverts not far from the bridges while at the same time stumping people trying to identify it. Usually, when you see the wood of this tree it is packaged in hobby stores where it waits to be carved into model planes, cars, etc. Give up? This is Balsa, or Balsa Wood, Ochroma pyramidale. - 11:16AM: I wish I could take credit for this photo, but that would be of course impossible. This self portrait was the handy work of FM. Jon Kenaghan (Bilbo) who was kind enough to borrow my camera for a moment to capture me in this great environment. I was trying my best not to laugh at Jon's great humor. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 10:57AM: The inflorescences above belonged to this prolific individual. The wide range and attractiveness of Chamaedorea tepejilote has lent it to become a common sight in cultivation around the world. It does very well as an indoor palm and I have seen it excelling in many collections. - 10:58AM: The juvenile stages of Chamaedorea tepejilote make it a perfect potted specimen. Those entire terminal leaflets stay persistent for a few years. - 10:59AM: Close to eleven in the morning, we began to see a rapid change in topography along the trail. Our guide Jorge warned us that we had a few steep inclines and sections of stairs up ahead to overcome. It all began with our crossing of this shallow, dry creek bed via a makeshift concrete bridge. - 11:01AM: My photographic pursuit of juvenile palm species continues. While ascending a flight of stairs, this small Cryosophila guagara was just a few feet away. Those intensely while leaf undersides were hard to miss. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 10:54AM: The Neonicholsonia watsonii was difficult to photograph entirely, so I had to get snapshots of each section of the palm. This older inflorescence had just finished flowering not long ago and was quickly being replaced with the one next to it. This species is easily identified by its dark purple spathe that extends beyond the length of the leaves. - A close-up shot of the leaflets and rachis. - 10:55AM: This was as much of the crown as I could get in the shot, without another plant getting in the way. I was glad to have seen this palm in the wild; I wish there were more of them though. - 10:57AM: The majority of the mature Chamaedorea tepejilote that we witnessed were all in one stage or another of setting seed. There were thousands of seed throughout the park that were going to be ripe in the near future. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 10:45AM: My mixed group of attendees and I pushed and weaved our way across the bridge. When we got across, the monkeys were in high gear and everyone couldn't resist but to keep on shooting. On the far left, Forum member Alan Brickey (avb) views upward along with Nikon-equipped FM. Lyle Arnold (Lyle Arnold). FMs. Jack Sayers (elHoagie) and Jerry Behan (Jerry@TreeZoo) [rear] observe the spectacle now taking place on the bridge. - I turned around to find attendees and patrons following the pointing gesture made by FM. Bill Olson (Bill Olson) as he was locating the spider monkeys in the giant tree. - 10:49AM: I stepped to the side a little ways to let a passing group of park patrons cross the bridge. When I did, I captured this shot of the traffic jam as it happened. - Immediately near the end of the bridge, this pavilion served as a midway rest stop in the trail. Attendees and park patrons each took turns resting their feet. Some were happy this was the halfway point, while others were not. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 10:34AM: Fly monkey, fly. We were unable to determine how many Spider Monkeys were in the troop but there were more than enough to watch. They glided through the tree tops like birds through air. We continued slowly along the trail and the troop of monkeys was following along on a parallel course. At times it seemed we were following them. - The trail continued along side the river we stopped at earlier. As everyone had their necks bent backwards while walking, much of the plant life we were moving past became secondary. The monkeys were a show not to be missed. We needed a little agility as we moved to avoid getting peed on, or worse. - 10:41AM: We spent the next few minutes watching the monkeys and following the trail along the river. We reached the point in the trail where it crossed the river via a bridge. The bridge was already full of attendees and other park patrons by the time we got there. - 10:42AM: Up river from the bridge, this massive tree quickly became the midday home for the troop of spider monkeys. It was not too far away so it served as a great place to view the monkeys in action. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 10:27AM: The enormity and size of some of these rain forest canopy trees were awe inspiring. I can not wrap my brain around the fact on how large they are. They had branches that had huge diameters far up in the canopy. I began to hear the sounds of monkeys calling in the distance and could see a large gathering of attendees up ahead on the trail. - 10:32AM: I managed to get ahead of the group of gathering primates while they had stopped to watch a different group of primates in action. A troop of Spider Monkeys had moved within range and were checking us out as well. - On the left, Bus #4 attendees Helen & FM. Lyle Arnold (Lyle Arnold) were sharing binoculars to try and spot the noisy upstairs neighbors. Behind them, CRT Guide Andres helps FMs. Jerry Andersen (jdapalms) and Paul Craft (Licuala) spot the elusive monkeys. - 10:34AM: These are the true acrobats of the animal kingdom. Spider Monkeys, Ateles geoffroyi, have proportionally longer arms, legs and tails compared to other monkeys. They use their endowment to swing, jump and fly through the forest. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 10:17AM: The creek had a soothing sound to it and time seemed to stop still while we were there listening to it. This was a perfect moment in the Biennial and those in the immediate vicinity seemed to be content with this moment lasting a while. - 10:18AM: Across the river bed from the creek, FM. Bill Olson (Bill Olson) spotted a tree he knew had to be familiar. He said the leaves of this tree were so recognizable, yet he could not place it. He pondered for a little while until another guide, Andres came along and told him it was a native, dwarf Avocado, Persea sp. relative. He almost smacked himself in the head, since back home in Florida, Bill owns an Avocado grove. - 10:21AM: We had spent so much time here on the river bed, that another sub-group had caught up to us. They had similar reactions to the surroundings while those of us in my separated group decided to press on. - 10:25AM: The trail held botanical surprises at almost every turn so we were always on the lookout. This strange vine that adheres to the trunks of trees was found everywhere in the park, but no one seemed to know what family it is in. Our CRT Guide Jorge was describing how the plant grows but even he was not sure on its name. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 9:57AM: In between photographing groups at the "studio" I turned my attention upwards and stared up into the Kapok Tree's canopy. It seemed to keep going up and up. These trees have the ability to reach heights of 200 feet (60m) or more and can do it in good time as well. - 9:58AM: The rarest palm of the park was Cryosophila guagara and it was nice to see a healthy population of this attractive fan palm. Its range includes only this part of Costa Rica and northern Panama. The leaf blades have a deep apical notch and each group of segments is divided by a complete sinus, reaching all the way to the hastula. Palm anatomy is fun. - 10:00AM: Here is another example of the incredible variability and adaptability of Chamaedorea tepejilote. The stem has become decumbent, or leaning towards the ground and the aerial roots produced along the stem have since taken hold. They are almost like stilt roots, providing support for a palm that would otherwise just collapse. - Forum member Bill Olson (Bill Olson) was first to spot this individuals growing nature and brought it to our attention. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 9:55AM: Eventually, as what happens during most tour-length Biennial excursions, our sub-group began to stretch out as some attendees slowed down while others went on ahead. Our CRT Guide Jorge went to the head of the group then waited for everyone to pass once while showing our intended route on this park map. He wanted to let everyone know where we were supposed to go since we were getting separated. - I noticed this leaf in the corner of my eye while looking over the map. It belonged to a leaning Chamaedorea tepejilote that was almost growing horizontally along the ground. - 9:56AM: Nature's photo studio at work. This behemoth Kapok Tree, Ceiba pentandra, was the first photo opportunity along the trail. Attendees in all combinations imaginable took their turn posing for photos in between its giant buttress roots. - 9:57AM: Just to the left of the Kapok Tree was this large juvenile Attalea butyracea. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Carara National Park Group 2, Buses #3 & #4 - 9:38AM: The Bull's Horn Acacia, Acacia collinsii, is world famous for its mutualism in Costa Rica. It has a beneficial coexistence with a few species of red ants, namely Pseudomyrmex spinicola. The ants gain refuge and food from the tree by way of the thorns and nectar produced at the blooms. The ants will chew a small hole in the thorns seen here and build a tiny portion of the nest inside. The entire nest of the colony will span several trees. In exchange for the services given by the Acacia, the ants will protect it from herbivores by way of a powerful bite and clear the area around the tree's base of any seedlings that could become competitors for space. It’s good to have allies. - 9:39AM: The trail was marked by a series of informative signs and behind one of these signs was a massive ant hill belonging to a Leaf-Cutter Ant colony. - 9:41AM: There were several species of Heliconias native to this park and I knew hardly any of them. I am still learning this group of plants but I find many of them fascinating. I tried to identify this one through a few different means and came up empty. It had great color and the green rachis was unique. - 9:42AM: The trail was mostly flat with little or no changes in altitude. We moved through with a good pace and quickly became immersed in the sights and sounds of the rainforest. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 04: Tuesday, May 6th Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> Carara National Park Group 2, Bus #4 - 8:11AM: Smiles were plentiful up and down Bus #4. After leaving the hotel, we headed west and the morning trip on the bus was quiet and uneventful. The smiles were the only noticeable feature on many of the attendees as some were napping, listening to their mp3 players or making jokes with the people around them. About forty minutes into the trip, we reached a series of hairpin turns and at the end of one turn was this massive Kapok Tree, Ceiba pentandra. - 8:31AM: The weather was unbelievably perfect and we were so lucky considering that this was the beginning of the wet season. Even our guides were amazed. This jaunt to the west coast presented some fantastic scenery. As we got closer to the ocean, we could see for miles. - 8:32AM: A minute later, we made a slight turn to the right and we could see in the far distance the Pacific Ocean. This might sound a bit corny for those of you who live near it, or have traveled a bit, but this was my first time laying eyes on the Pacific. - 8:57AM: At close to nine o'clock, we reached the town of San Mateo the midway break point in the trip. The buses pulled over in front of the Church of San Mateo and we were offered a few minutes to step off and stretch our legs. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park -> Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel Bus #4 - 4:11PM: The Iglesia de San Isidro de Heredia church is one of the few Gothic style churches in the country and was built in 1895. I didn't know what time was supposed to be showing on the clock, but it seemed a little off. - 4:43PM: With a little alcohol-induced urging, FM. Bill Olson (Bill Olson) got up in the back of the bus and belt out some supreme opera singing. It was a preview of the no-Talent show coming up later in the week, but he did have talent. Simply put, he is very good and you should listen to him sing if you ever have the chance. - People were turned in their seats and standing in the aisle to listen to Bill sing. - 4:54PM: FM. and Biennial veteran Jim Glock (jglock1) shares a tender moment with Jeff Searle right as we arrived back at the hotel. Behind them, attendees gather their belongings and make their way off the bus and into the hotel lobby. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park -> Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel Bus #4 - 3:54PM: Three minutes after we pulled back onto the highway, our CRT Guide Jonny once again took the microphone to enlighten us to another tidbit of information. It turns out, today was our moderator Dean Ouer's (Dypsisdean) birthday. He is sitting three rows in front of me on the left and is just about to get mobbed. Let the ripping begin... - 3:55PM: If there was a camera on this bus it was now aimed at Dean. The aisle of the bus filled quickly by those who got up the fastest. All the age related comments and jokes began to fly out of the woodwork. FM. Bo-Göran Lundkvist (bgl) had front row with his camera and got the best shots of Dean trying to hide from everyone wishing him Happy Birthday in their own special ways. For future reference, if you don't like birthdays, keep it a secret if it falls on a Biennial day. - I had a split second after the shot above to sit and get a returning photo of the Zurqui Tunnel. This passage through the mountain marks the Continental Divide and separates the Atlantic Side of the country (which we were leaving) from the Pacific Side. When we came through the first time in the morning, the tunnel lights were off. That was a bit of fun. Luckily, now the lights are back on. - 4:11PM: When we passed through the tunnel, we traveled for a short while and then were back in the Central Valley. We entered some of the smaller streets in Heredia to bypass some of the traffic. During our travels, we drove past the largest church in the area, Iglesia de San Isidro de Heredia. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 2:57PM: A mere three minutes later myself along with a few others emerged from the park trail. It was a great walk through a wonderful rain forest experience. It was exhilarating to see palms I had known for so many years in habitat and this was only the third day of the Biennial. - Bus #4 was again in view of its devoted passengers. As people finished the trail, they relaxed in the shade and raided the coolers off and on the bus. - 3:05PM: The Biennial spirit was hard to ignore as it was contagious and easily spread from attendee to attendee. The use of an adult beverage or two lubricated the process. The feelings were overflowing and they were a mix of accomplishment, satisfaction and joy. - 3:06PM: This solitary Peach Palm, Bactris gasipaes was at the top of the hill near the ranger station office. We had a few more minutes to chat, use the restroom and look around before we were told to again board the bus for home. You could not help but to turn and give the entrances to the national park one more look. You do not know when you might be back this way again. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 2:16PM: In this area of the national park, I had expected to see more Welfia regia than what we did see. We saw so many more not far away at the Aerial Tram. This underneath view of a massive individual was a polar opposite to the overhead views we got from the Aerial Tram gondolas. - 2:26PM: We started a bit of a descent and came across a series of basic, wooden plank walkways that crossed a series of ditches and culverts. On one stretch of earthen trail we discovered this strange plant. No one, including the guides, knew what this was. The leafy part resembled a Chlorophytum or similar plant, but the bloom was totally bizarre. If anyone has any info on this thing please post away. - 2:28PM: The wooden walkways were slippery and unsteady at the best of times. We took our time and made our way down the trail. At one point, Forum members Linda Talbott (Linda Apriletti), Bill Olson (Bill Olson) and Jeff Searle stopped to take a better look at this juvenile Astrocaryum alatum; while FM. Ron Kiefert (moose knuckle) took a photo of that strange plant above. - 2:34PM: We continued a general descent and figured we were approaching the end of this side of the trail. After a few minutes we could see a gathering up ahead and caught up to them. We were wondering what could be mesmerizing FMs. Paul Norris (Palmnorris), IPS past-President Paul Craft (Licuala) and Linda Talbott (Linda Apriletti)? Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 2:09PM: The fruit was plentiful on the Astrocaryum alatum, featured in this tighter shot of the palm above. - 2:11PM: I came across our Forum moderators, Angela Blakely (putu enjula) & Dean Ouer (Dypsisdean) as they were doing some stranger than usual behavior. It turns out they were inspecting a nearby palm that had become the day time home for a tent making bat. - 2:13PM: As Angela would agree, photographing this shy Thomas' fruit-eating Bat, Artibeus watsoni, was not an easy thing to do. It was positioned under its 'tent' on the opposite side of the Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana it had borrowed the leaf from. - From the outside, it was not difficult to spot the tent-modified leaf from the other ones in the crown. You can see the V-shaped chew marks in the leaf blade that caused the leaf to buckle. Above the tent leaf, you can see the spicate, unbranched inflorescence belonging to the Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana. A popular common name for this palm in South Florida is Vampire Palm, since this species gets pollinated by these tent-making, fruit-eating bats. The flowers of this palm have an edible part of their anatomy that gives a reward to the bats as they move through pollinating them. These palms end up giving not only sustenance to these bats, but also a temporary home. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 2:00PM: "Dr. Sanford I presume?" Our half of Bus #4 had just about reached the midway point in the trail when we encountered the other half of attendees. Everyone exchanged points of interest they had witnessed from each person’s respective half of the trail, real or otherwise. "We saw monkeys.", "Oh yeah? Well we almost stepped on a poisonous snake." Forum member Alan Brickey (avb) marches on past on the left while his roommate & FM. Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms) poses for the photo. - 2:04PM: People along the trail behind me began to rave about an orchid they had seen. I didn't see it at first, so I backtracked a bit to find it. I had to wait my turn to photograph, as it was so popular. This is Huntleya burtii, the only species of the genus in Costa Rica. The bloom was about 4 inches (10cm) across and had great texture. We were fortunate to be seeing it in bloom, as it only flowers in the mid to late dry season and the Biennial was taking place early in the wet season. - 2:06PM: Bill had mentioned a snake his group had seen and was using an ID sheet to describe it to FM. Bill Olson (Bill Olson). - 2:08PM: Both sub-groups parted ways and we continued on down the trail. At one turn in the trail, this large Astrocaryum alatum seemed to speak to Bill and said "Come here". He ambled down the hill doing his best not to find snakes and got up all nice and close with the spiny palm. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 1:54PM: Now this was the shot I was looking for throughout the entire trail; a mature Pholidostachys pulchra sporting two inflorescences, one with full ripe fruit and the other with maturing fruit. The color of the ripe fruit was either black or real dark purple. - An additional view showing the entire palm belonging to the fruit collection above. - 1:55PM: A typical view of an extraordinary journey. The trail had something for everyone, especially palm people. Our guide Jorge mentioned he takes groups of all kinds through the national park including bird, primate, butterfly, and flowering tree societies. In the upper right side corner of the photo, there is an unknown Bactris sp. It had leaves that were supporting ranked leaflets and the petioles and leaf bases were highly armed. - 1:57PM: This moderately-sized Cryosophila warscewiczii had perfect leaves and the glaucous leaf undersides were a joy for many who had never seen such a specimen before. I have a cousin of this palm, C. stauracantha in my collection and it was one of the first rare palms I got when I was a kid. I see it everyday and it is a great palm for the landscape. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 1:31PM: A wider view shows more of the mystery Bactris sp. This individual was solitary, but there were other plants nearby that were clumping. Reading the thread started by Michael Merritt (Mike in Kurtisstown), mentions that he had captured photos of the same species and then there was a small debate as to what it was. It was narrowed to two choices, B. major and B. coloradonis and I am happy knowing it could be one of those two. - 1:39PM: FM. Bill Olson (Bill Olson) was the first to plow into the brush, ignoring all possible dangers for the sake of palm exploration. One of his footfalls accidentally took off this inflorescence belonging to a small Chamaedorea species which I think was C. deckeriana. I could not see the full plant so far into the brush. - 1:41PM: The bigger the stilt roots, the more people wanted to be photographed with them. This set of Iriartea deltoidea stilt roots represented a small fraction of the palms total height. With the mere mention of a photo, Bill jumped to the right side as FM. Linda Talbott (Linda Apriletti) joined him on the left. - 1:50PM: I was surprised to see such a large Heliconia bloom right near the trail. This one was a little past its prime but it still had enough color. I referred to the Heliconia Guide by Fred Berry to try and identify it and the closest one that fit the photo was Heliconia pogonantha var. holerythra. The description fit to the point of detail I could see, and the variety's range includes Costa Rica. Please post or contact me if you can verify the name. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 1:02PM: The identification of juveniles continues with the challenge before you. The unique coloration on the petioles caused a few people to get stumped, since it doesn't carry over to adulthood. This is a very young Pholidostachys pulchra and they look great when grow in small containers. Too bad they do not keep the color. - 1:08PM: We followed the trail as it led into an open area bathed in full sun and patrolled by monkeys. We were climbing over logs and avoiding falls trying to photograph the monkeys in the trees above. Our CRT Guide Jorge pointed out this bizarre spider web. He went on to tell us that the spider makes the web this thick and showy on purpose to keep birds from flying into it. I didn't catch the name of the spider, but I am sure someone could post it. - 1:12PM: A picture is worth a thousand words and some of the ones she's thinking of I cannot post here. I do not know what was said, but Forum member Judy Norris's (Queen of Bling) reaction says it all. The comments and jokes that were flying around were memorable. - 1:16PM: Our half of Bus #4 began to stretch out a bit, as some attendees trekked onward while others slowed down to take more photos. You could guess which group I was in. FM. Bill Olson (Bill Olson) became a member of my sub-group as we both looked in every spot for plant and animal life. He volunteered for many of the posed shots including this one next to the stilt roots of a Socratea exorrhiza. It became an instant rush seeing these large stilt masses in person after only seeing them in books for so many years. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 12:58PM: Our CRT Guide Jorge was very handy to have around. Sometimes he only needed a finger to show us the smallest detail of rain forest life, including these Leaf Cutter Ants, Atta cephalotes. They were scurrying up and down the trunk of a nearby canopy tree. - The dominant palm species fulfilling the small to moderate size range was by far Geonoma congesta. There were many large clumps and sometimes large colonies filling in sections of the rain forest undergrowth. Certain clumps had stems numbering over twenty. - An additional view showing the stem and nearby suckers. - 1:01PM: An added challenge of any trip through a palm heavy area is the identification of juvenile plants. I feel it is important to be able to match young palms with their parents. This allows for a stronger ability to correctly identify containerized plants after seeing them in habitat. In this instance, the opposite is also true. I have seen numerous Socratea exorrhiza in pots, and it made ID'ing this individual oh so easy. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Quebrada González Ranger Station, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 12:53PM: Up and up we go. The climb was steady and the stairs were interrupted by short stretches of flat trail. You had to stop every now and then out of fear you would miss something since you had to concentrate on the trail if you were moving. - 12:54PM: The signature palmate or fan palm of the national park was Cryosophila warscewiczii. Especially since it was the only fan palm found in the park. This genus contains some remarkable species and they deserve to be grown more. - 12:57PM: Our sub-group of Bus #4 was led through the national park by our trusty CRT Guide Jorge who knew the park, and the country for that matter, intimately well. He was pointing out every important plant, animal and insect we came across. He is seen here warning us again about snakes, poisonous snakes that is. - 12:58PM: We had the opportunity to see a few different Chamaedorea species while we were in Costa Rica, one in particular I wanted to find to see in person. That desire was fulfilled quickly as we came across a group of Chamaedorea deckeriana, a great palm that has been missing from South Florida sales off an on; for a few years. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 11:57AM: My first experience with a large Pholidostachys pulchra meant many photos to be taken. We saw this palm throughout the tram but from a distance. The palm flowers almost continuously, producing these large, thick, catkin like rachillae which are each the entire inflorescence. - Here are some immature fruit in production. They turn black when they are ripe. - 11:58AM: Is this a rooster's foot? - Nope, it is actually the young inflorescence belonging to a large Asterogyne martiana. One vernacular name for this palm is 'Leg of Rooster' because of the visual similarity. The pathway where the Pholidostachys pulchra was located held a few surprises. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 11:52AM: This is an additional photo of the Geonoma ferruginea, showing the underside details of one leaf. It was a great looking small, clustering palm and I wondered if it could be a decent Geonoma species for South Florida. - Right next door, along the sidewalk to the gift store, was this Reinhardtia gracilis showing its trademark 'windows' in the leaflets. - 11:54AM: Next in the palm showcase was this small clump of Bactris hondurensis. It looked a little different than the one in the parking lot. It had thinner stems and smaller leaves, probably due to the lesser amounts of sunlight received. This photo shows the heavily-armed leaf bases covered with short, sharp spines. There were some bright orange fruit that teased quite a few attendees. I stress the word 'were'. - 11:56AM: I was walking with a few attendees looking around the visitors center, when we were approached by a tram guide who asked if we wanted to see a Pholidostachys pulchra. We looked at each other and said "Why yes, show the way to this palm.". We walked down a short path where we were met with this huge specimen up close and personal. This was my first time being next to such a large example of this species. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 10:48AM: We were next to cross the river, with our guide reminding us how high we were to the angst of some of the more weary passengers. I came to the conclusion as we were passing the river how lucky we were that it did not rain. It would have dramatically changed the experience. - 10:49AM: I noticed this Iriartea deltoidea as we passed it as we departed from the visitors center. At that time, I was not in a good position to get a shot of it, unlike now. Many of the larger, mature specimens had this deep purple hue in the crownshaft that was quite stunning. - 10:57AM: Our gondola was next in line to dock back at the visitors center so just before we got off, I snapped this photo of one more red emergent leaf; put on display by a small Welfia regia. - 11:11AM: Since we were towards the back of the pack, by the time we had gotten back to the visitors center, everyone else had been roaming the gift store or gotten in line to eat lunch. Bus #4 alumni Rod Gates chats up the park guides in an exchange of information. They were asking him about palms while he was getting other info in return. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 10:40AM: We had to wait again, as the tram came to a stop to let passengers off gondolas up in the front of the line. A massive Welfia regia that was exceeding the height of the tram, was growing just a few feet from us. We got a great view of several inflorescences full of immature fruit. - 10:43AM: The gondola had begun moving again and we slowly drifted under a few ancient trees. Suddenly, our guide got all excited and pointed out a troop of White-headed Capuchin Monkeys, Cebus capucinus moving through the branches above, parallel to our course. It was the first of many pleasant encounters to come for attendees and monkeys. - I kept a close eye on the moving line of white and black fur and caught a glimpse of a mother with an offspring on her back. - We reached the point in the tram where it crossed over the river below. When a gondola was over the river, on the return trip, it was at the highest point above ground in the entire tram. It was also the longest stretch of cable between towers, hence the big dip. It is the perfect way to experience a rain forest. The company that runs the tram has several other ones around the Caribbean so if you are able to visit one, please do so. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 - 10:11AM: This large Pink Ginger was very striking, I didn't see any reference of it anywhere. It has to be in cultivation and someone should know the name of it. If you do, please post it. - The gondola was reaching new heights as we could see the river below us. I had to zoom all the way in to see this grouping of Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana. - 10:13AM: The river was trickling on by and this spot on the tram represented the one-quarter mark. We could see signs that the river could swell to a much larger size. - It was not hard to spot large Welfia regia. They would often have crowns reaching or exceeding the height of the gondola. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Braulio Carrillo National Park Bus #4 -9:38AM: As the second half of Bus #4 began our wait for the mini-bus to return, we had palms to observe from the parking lot. They were scattered in and around the confines of the entrance and I believe some might have been planted or relocated. The opposite side of the highway from the entrance held a near vertical face that was covered with Gunnera plants, ferns and formed the home for these two extremely tall Iriartea deltoidea. I could not tell how tall they were, as their bases were obscured, but they would rival a good sized building. - A railing near the edge of the road leaving the parking lot was lined with a selection of native palms. IPS member and Forum member Ron Kiefert (moose knuckle) points out a Reinhardtia gracilis to fellow attendee and FM. Paul Norris (Palmnorris) which he promptly photographed. In front of both of them was this mature Astrocaryum alatum which was sporting some serious fruit. - 9:43AM: This one palm was first to capture everyone’s attention as they walked off the bus. This Iriartea deltoidea was near the corner of the parking lot and was short enough for everyone to get a good view of its crown of super plumose leaves. The Euterpe precatoria to the left of it didn't get as much attention, but it was nice to finally see one in habitat. - Planted in a small median area in the center of the parking lot was this, very mature Bactris hondurensis. It had some real nice bifid leaves that retained a 'fuzzy' undercoating on each of the leaf blades. The highly visible orange fruit was incredibly tempting to a bus load of palm fanatics. Ryan

2008 IPS Biennial - Costa Rica Day 03: Monday, May 5th Hilton Doubletree Cariari Hotel -> Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Braulio Carrillo National Park Group 2, Bus #4 - 9:19AM: The most prevalent landmark of the journey to the park had to be the Sucio River, or 'Dirty' River as some locals refer to it. It has an unusual course as it works its way through the mountains. It gets it dark color from the volcanic minerals it transports. - 9:29AM: We have arrived to the entrance of the Rain Forest Aerial Tram, just off the highway and deep in the mountains. Bus #4 has survived its first run in one piece to the delight of Driver Don Juan [white shirt] and CRT Guides Andres and Jorge. FMod. Dean Ouer (Dypsisdean) was there to supervise. - 9:30AM: As soon as attendees got off the bus, the identifications and photography began. Scattered around the parking lot and entrance area was plenty of eye candy for palm fanatics. Some people dived into palm books and turned cameras on while others dived into the restrooms; everyone had their priorities. At this point in time, Group 2 was further divided into two groups. Bus #3, went straight to the national park entrance to begin the hiking trail while those of us on Bus #4 began our day with the Rain Forest Aerial Tram. As you would surmise, after lunch we switched locations. - 9:36AM: A mini-bus was provided to carry us the rest of the way to the aerial tram station, as there was a short trip down a winding road to get there. It could only hold half of us at one time, so some of us had a small wait to endure. Ryan