Kisantu Botanical Garden DRCongo

[mpiodi]

Last year I posted some pics of the botanical garden in Kisantu, 150 km from Kinshasa, taken 6 and 10 years ago.

Last saturday I visited once more this garden. Unfortunately the weather was dull and drizzling and the pictures are not so brilliant. But nevertheless... Maybe there is some interest

The garden was founded 1900 by a Jesuit brother. 2000 they celebrated the centenary

[mpiodi]

When I visited the garden the last time it was in rather bad condition But in obviously in the last years they did some maintenance with the financial support of the Europeen Union.

[mpiodi]

Having aquired in the last year some more knowledge about palms I could more easily identify some species, for exemple this impressif Corypha umbraculifera as the many of the plants don't yet bear any identification.

[mpiodi]

This giant one bore a name and it was the most impressive palm for me. There are many of them, probably 100 years old.

But, oddly enough, I didn't find a "Attalea macrocarpa" neither in my books nor on several Internet pages. Maybe an old denomination??

[mpiodi]

Voilà - that's it. Isn't it beautiful?!!

[mpiodi]

More

[mpiodi]

More

[mpiodi]

This group is unidentified. I was happy to find some seeds under it.

[mpiodi]

A young Verschaffeltia splendida on the veranda of the new museum

[mpiodi]

And an old one in the garden (on the right side)

[mpiodi]

Do you need some Borassus seeds?

[mpiodi]

What is this - no idea

[JD in the OC]

The cluster of palms in post #8 look like Bectinia (sp?) or Dictyosperma maybe?

[mpiodi]

closeup

[mpiodi]

Some pics from nearby the garden - the cathedral

[mpiodi]

more

[mpiodi]

the school

[mpiodi]

Once more - a small "attalea macrocarpa"

[mpiodi]

A neglected phoenix reclinata in the front and a big clump of ? in the background

[mpiodi]

A neglected phoenix reclinata in the front and a big clump of ? in the background

[mpiodi]

The garden is beautiful but the access road is less beautiful

[mpiodi]

Thanks for your interest

[freakypalmguy]

Very nice pictures Wolfgang, I really like that Attalea.

Matt

[Mark_NoVA]

Wonderful to see distant parts of the world, thanks! Those Attalea really are beautiful.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Wolfgang, thanks for the great photos! That Corypha in post #3 is very impressive.

[Central Floridave]

Cool trip, thanks. I wish I could help you ID those palms, but sorry, no idea!

[niftinfiftin]

Wonderful photos once again Wolfgang,

Thanks,

Nathan

[Salvades]

Impressive photos. Thank you

[paulgila]

wow,great tour! thanks so much for sharing with us.

the spiny palm in post 12 looks like salacca to me.

[Kris]

Lovely stills...

Thanks & Love,

Kris

[bgl]

Wolfgang,

Thanks for the photos! Especially the Corypha and the Attaleas are really impressive. According to the Kew site, Attalea macrocarpa is now Attalea butyracea.

Bo-Göran

[kylecawazafla]

Great photos! It is very mysterious seeing pictures from your part of the world, since it's somewhat like peaking into a place that is different in more ways than most other areas in the world from here. I would love to visit over there one day! I have family in Africa, (Malawi and South Africa), but none in your region. If you are still curious about palm identifications, #8 is Dictyosperma album, #12 looks like Salacca zalacca, and #19 are Acoelorraphe wrightii clusters. Thank you for sharing them.

[SubTropicRay]

Beautiful photos. Thank you for the tour!

[mpiodi]

Thanks a lot to all for your appreciations, comments and your ID-efforts which are very helpful to me.

We have a lot of problems with electricity and Internet connection the last months, so I can't participate at the forum as much as I would like to.

But I always appreciate the forum discussions.

[mpiodi]

It is very mysterious seeing pictures from your part of the world, since it's somewhat like peaking into a place that is different in more ways than most other areas in the world from here. I would love to visit over there one day! I have family in Africa, (Malawi and South Africa), but none in your region.

Kyle,

Congo has a very bad reputation in the world but, nevertheless, it's a very beautiful and really mysterious country. If there is an opportunity for you - come and see. We have space enough for visitors - maybe, however, not the facilities western people are used to.

[Kim]

Wolfgang, fascinating photos as always. It's good to know the garden has been maintained since you last saw it, and a new museum, too! Although it looks to be a challenge to get around after a rain! (post #21)