Costa Rica

[bgl]

Leland Lei, who has been responsible for organizing and arranging the upcoming Biennial in Costa Rica in early May 2008 sent me a number of photos and asked me to post them. Unfortunately, Leland is "on the road" right now so I'm unable to get any further info from him, but I'll post the photos and hopefully we can add some additional background info as time goes by.

[bgl]

Incidentally, Leland took all these photos on a trip there in June 2007.

[bgl]

Misc. vegetation!?

[bgl]

Any idea what kind of fruit this is? (Maybe we should turn this into a guessing contest...!)

[bgl]

I wonder if this is the hotel we'll be staying at...!?

[bgl]

I'd say this is a fern!!

[bgl]

And a Zamia!! But what species...?

[bgl]

Looks like an Aiphanes

[bgl]

And a Bactris

[bgl]

No idea what this is. And incidentally, registration for the Biennial is coming along very well. It will close when we reach 200, or on March 15th, whichever comes first. Based on how fast people are signing up it wouldn't surprise me if we get to 200 before the March 15th deadline.

So, bottom line, anyone who intends to join us for the weeklong fun in Costa Rica - SIGN UP NOW!!  You don't want to miss out on this one. And if you've never been on a Biennial before, this promises to be a VERY memorable event. And these Biennials have a tendency to become addictive - once you've been on one, you don't want to miss the next one. And the next one, incidentally, has not been decided yet, but it seems to be between Canary Islands (Tenerife) and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro area). That'll be in 2010, and a decision will be made at the IPS Board Meeting on May 3rd.

The 2012 Biennial has already been decided, and will be held in Thailand, with emphasis on Nong Nooch Botanical Garden.

[bgl]

Just received a quick e-mail from Leland. He informs me that the fruit in post #4 is from Bactris gasipaes, locally known as Pejibaye, and it WILL be part of our menu there!

He also confirms that the photo in post #5 is indeed from the hotel where we will be staying. The name of the hotel was the Melia Cariari, but it was changed to Double Tree by Hilton San Jose effective January 1st, 2008.

[Jeff Searle]

Post #7 is Zamia neurophylidia and post #10 is also a cycad. Probably Zamia as well. Just not a clear picture to tell.

Jeff

[Jeff Searle]

Also in your first post, It looks like a Cryosophila spp.

Jeff

[mike in kurtistown]

In post 8 the leaflets look too narrow to be the Aiphanes that I am acquainted with, aculeata and minima. I think the palm in post 9 would be an Astrocaryum because of the white undersides to the leaves. (I learned this from Andrew Henderson on the 2006 trip up the Rio Negro.)

[bgl]

Jeff and Mike,

Thanks for the input and additional (and presumably correct!) information.

Bo-Göran

[Jeff in St Pete]

Hi Bo, I hope you don't mind if I add a few pictures of the Hanging Bridges Tour and the Arenal Volcano, both of which will be seen during the Biennial.  

One of the many bridges on the Hanging Bridges Tour

[Jeff in St Pete]

Iriartea deltoidea

[Jeff in St Pete]

Palm along the trail of the Hanging Bridges tour

[Jeff in St Pete]

The beautiful Arenal Volcano

[bgl]

Jeff,

You're more than welcome to post as many Costa Rica photos as you want - preferably of places we'll be visiting!

Bo-Göran

[Jeff in St Pete]

Hi Bo, the Hanging Bridges is the only place on the itineray that I have already visited.  That's why I am so excited about the Biennial, I will be seeing many places for the first time!

[bgl]

Another two dozen registrants in the last week or so. At the rate registration is going right now, we will have reached the 200 limit sometime in Februuary, maybe even before mid month.

In other words - don't wait till the "last minute" if you intend to participate. The "last minute" may be too late because nobody knows when that will be. Could be much sooner than we thought!

[Ceroxylon]

Leland: I am happy to know that finally there will be a good number comming to the biennial. It seems also that more tha the 50% of the places to Puerto Maldonado (Reserva Amazónica) are occuped. I just came back from Reserva last sunday 17.

Fernando

[amazondk]

(bgl @ Jan. 15 2008,00:39)

QUOTE

Any idea what kind of fruit this is? (Maybe we should turn this into a guessing contest...!)

Bo,

In post 4 it is a pupunha, Bactris gasipaes, boiled, peeled, and ready to eat.

dk

[bgl]

Don,

Very interesting! Thanks! And we are getting VERY close now - both to the March 15 deadline and the maximum number of participants (200). I don't have the exact, current, number at hand, but I think we may be approaching single digits as far as how many more can register. So, a good time to make a decision and register would probably be RIGHT ABOUT NOW!

Bo-Göran