tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68449479790798075262023-11-16T04:22:17.336-08:00Orchid Adventures in the Field -OR- the Not-So-Glamorous Side of OrchidsI have put together this blogger to share some of the most beautiful moments of my life as an orchid researcher, the field trips. Thanks to all the agencies and people that over the years have supported my work and shared with me flat tires, bad bus drivers, tropical diseases and substandard meals and lodging. I am a happier person and hopefully a better orchid scientist thanks to all these experiences! (Yes, these adventures did not kill me; they made me stronger!).Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-14715193705658610462012-03-30T12:38:00.000-07:002012-04-10T08:38:22.979-07:00Scaphosepalum breve, Scaphosepalum globosum and some more at the Master of all Teagueia territory<br />
The master of all <i>Teagueias</i> is my dear friend Lou Jost. We met in
1997when I was working in my <i>Dracula</i> thesis and my co-advisor Nigel Pitman
introduced us. Later on, Lou started talking about this pleurothallid
genus <i>Teagueia</i> that I had not heard about. Been a pleurothallid
enthusiast it was a bit embarrasing for me not to know them but it was a small
genus (four species) until Lou came an discovered fifty more. Yes 30!<br />
<br />
Lou lives literally surrounded by orchids and the best part of it is that he lives next to the very active Tungurahua volcano, so in the next picture, after the <i>Sobralia</i>, there is a cloud right? That is a vapor cloud from the volcano that just erupted and the cone is hiding behind the cloud.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJJfejwbOU-w3ctuY9qba2uwYx88d8JyheYdQ7DyCe8YMkxVR4EHGcRZpVepbVRWcNPzbq5PKY7WHb49eAa_Tx2J7xf9O59MfN8byX3ZmXENFkmKGACyvLTIcKjZL3a5adkE3Z48Kalo/s1600/DSCN7348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJJfejwbOU-w3ctuY9qba2uwYx88d8JyheYdQ7DyCe8YMkxVR4EHGcRZpVepbVRWcNPzbq5PKY7WHb49eAa_Tx2J7xf9O59MfN8byX3ZmXENFkmKGACyvLTIcKjZL3a5adkE3Z48Kalo/s320/DSCN7348.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibm18XA4xxBZU8ulom1HrTbgdUMANeknMSVJ2G_5dP4uW1YBX-Rx1aBno1NT6faamlQqhRiz892T9eehb6_LJ6Kn1Z-fTHmfSdLBJI4dZfmQvJr5jsmx0FMYcMB3zFHSN75VjaiGbV4g/s1600/IMG_1310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibm18XA4xxBZU8ulom1HrTbgdUMANeknMSVJ2G_5dP4uW1YBX-Rx1aBno1NT6faamlQqhRiz892T9eehb6_LJ6Kn1Z-fTHmfSdLBJI4dZfmQvJr5jsmx0FMYcMB3zFHSN75VjaiGbV4g/s320/IMG_1310.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
View from Lou's house</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Teagueias are sister to <i>Scaphosepalums</i> and that is another reason why I
visited Lou in Banhos because we have an ongoing project plus I have been searching for other variations of <i>Scaphosepalum breve</i> and also looking for <i>Scaphosepalum globosum</i>, a species that Carl Luer separated from <i>Scaphosepalum odontochilum</i>.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjl7OyuBU88jvmHNNSRfzmUYE_g-0KNxPkLpA3w_hNxExrsKRB50atI4TZFFqKMxicN8purKAowO3d-c1iVk2_mdFgRKNUFj1qu7QMsMSYj28IoqJMXw5TOIjdcHwnCasHm1kt-jYQWM/s1600/IMG_1304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjl7OyuBU88jvmHNNSRfzmUYE_g-0KNxPkLpA3w_hNxExrsKRB50atI4TZFFqKMxicN8purKAowO3d-c1iVk2_mdFgRKNUFj1qu7QMsMSYj28IoqJMXw5TOIjdcHwnCasHm1kt-jYQWM/s320/IMG_1304.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvstXTGtjuJdeoaBb-CANz59_1k3cCwaHWp2ULICe6Wip0xeAaRMc8fSJ28dGXWYZDlitInnJ11uIhfiwBlem0tcHjR68FpRjdacAT3WyOXFe_9oR11OG7ffG9TxVHEWznfxEB9zbU6_M/s1600/IMG_1305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvstXTGtjuJdeoaBb-CANz59_1k3cCwaHWp2ULICe6Wip0xeAaRMc8fSJ28dGXWYZDlitInnJ11uIhfiwBlem0tcHjR68FpRjdacAT3WyOXFe_9oR11OG7ffG9TxVHEWznfxEB9zbU6_M/s320/IMG_1305.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">These pictures were taken on the river sides of the Pastaza river at Mache, Lou and his NGO Ecominga purchased some of the land of this area to protect the high diversity and endemism. Lou's efforts are </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">incredible and I am really honored to be his friend and sort'a collaborator.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">These are some Scaphosepalums covered in volcanic ashes that Lou helped me with!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMBO979C9hINRdVOgRFJEQQdtm6oxSemZIGWTfIamPLyTGIS3ENvXiR5i3_6aLfAS93efdWDIX16vQuQ79HC6AX4MrRXZVGdcmq2s5MMPUcg262nJqDH2YSb20X5rudUpRbHVb5TK1hRk/s1600/IMG_1330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMBO979C9hINRdVOgRFJEQQdtm6oxSemZIGWTfIamPLyTGIS3ENvXiR5i3_6aLfAS93efdWDIX16vQuQ79HC6AX4MrRXZVGdcmq2s5MMPUcg262nJqDH2YSb20X5rudUpRbHVb5TK1hRk/s320/IMG_1330.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scaphosepalum ovulare</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0MeOD4h1hONwLka-BnFJwbsjyUiZ-IZb-baNr2kaAHQWRMYnkF5eP3kz2wSzfsKX0dUM-APwYfLT63gEpNxGoGMs4lyhOo82cobgckX5M5BRwA714G5uJTopKbTngmI_zLSik6sydlU/s1600/IMG_1353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0MeOD4h1hONwLka-BnFJwbsjyUiZ-IZb-baNr2kaAHQWRMYnkF5eP3kz2wSzfsKX0dUM-APwYfLT63gEpNxGoGMs4lyhOo82cobgckX5M5BRwA714G5uJTopKbTngmI_zLSik6sydlU/s320/IMG_1353.JPG" width="320" /></i></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> Scaphosepalum globosum</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFz4PoH51uMVk-sa6f-IYQNZBuFd4-pouTzUAeVvJTtKclr6vjRsiyLgogjqpMtiUcwewxAxb541q6lmbC6OuCnKG18SeDXpmROsLVonuNvWoSDM55bD_LJbe2iWhDUaiYdBJbRGI5bMM/s1600/IMG_1367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFz4PoH51uMVk-sa6f-IYQNZBuFd4-pouTzUAeVvJTtKclr6vjRsiyLgogjqpMtiUcwewxAxb541q6lmbC6OuCnKG18SeDXpmROsLVonuNvWoSDM55bD_LJbe2iWhDUaiYdBJbRGI5bMM/s320/IMG_1367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Scaphosepalum odontochilum</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xeSh9ohHlI4facvXQuNtkEOSjIuQqal8nqGnRJSNLQNUgISpMSWgxqyq7sgwWlocYZZAv4_RV5Ao6NB1488nbs1cmL1mABrV6PrmAVcEALLRAq_Yp4GJiUfJ_tOUEjOSfxh2dvIvKs8/s1600/DSCN7174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xeSh9ohHlI4facvXQuNtkEOSjIuQqal8nqGnRJSNLQNUgISpMSWgxqyq7sgwWlocYZZAv4_RV5Ao6NB1488nbs1cmL1mABrV6PrmAVcEALLRAq_Yp4GJiUfJ_tOUEjOSfxh2dvIvKs8/s320/DSCN7174.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJw5vhhPHqPrRZ5njftr4EBcKz_4DzRpTQoWyaMF0xOQEXK7gBPr_85nN9DO6WPPG5Dd8TQ_H6oufsHFG00STQC1mNXeibaJGF8Kg3lWfI6X3cfZ17x7lG27j9waAo9LSzvNrlbGXLvY0/s1600/DSCN7176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJw5vhhPHqPrRZ5njftr4EBcKz_4DzRpTQoWyaMF0xOQEXK7gBPr_85nN9DO6WPPG5Dd8TQ_H6oufsHFG00STQC1mNXeibaJGF8Kg3lWfI6X3cfZ17x7lG27j9waAo9LSzvNrlbGXLvY0/s320/DSCN7176.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Having fun in the Pailon del Diablo, believe it or not there are tons of orchids hanging from the bridge. Did not have the nerve to stop in the middle of it to id them...<br />
<br />
The following pictures were taken in Lou's Ecominga Rio Anzu Reserve. This place is spectacular, most of the following pictures are to honor Lou's work. Wish there will be more Ecuadorians like Lou!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NjD8GKYnI-SLfQed7isVKUlf0Dl5SWoQYMiwAP9mFbvcVvorPupQPABwCFcUhTHlagCLCu6S55C6xIbtLQsu_o2qJPI3YG9ZNC6GMFez1RQj5DK0m2JFQQsoRvipUBnQgQQHR9SW7VQ/s1600/DSCN7240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-NjD8GKYnI-SLfQed7isVKUlf0Dl5SWoQYMiwAP9mFbvcVvorPupQPABwCFcUhTHlagCLCu6S55C6xIbtLQsu_o2qJPI3YG9ZNC6GMFez1RQj5DK0m2JFQQsoRvipUBnQgQQHR9SW7VQ/s320/DSCN7240.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj04iDGs1S_r0bfjPZQD6o9FBZdfrvSkgQrcQvmwMYZ6jIMTUsirtVhvF1gxpPHmDdB6Flx26kveUjFn9-vdpRi7D0OYTUNsUAjPHhQ6FGmMNrxQMYNSPZh8b9ovXNheFoCTuogw4Lz_Q/s1600/DSCN7259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj04iDGs1S_r0bfjPZQD6o9FBZdfrvSkgQrcQvmwMYZ6jIMTUsirtVhvF1gxpPHmDdB6Flx26kveUjFn9-vdpRi7D0OYTUNsUAjPHhQ6FGmMNrxQMYNSPZh8b9ovXNheFoCTuogw4Lz_Q/s320/DSCN7259.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierhI2XlYu64fYFczHv1LYfziCu3aJi6gOry_JGV1JuSbToRV-_pq991Ux0TRbvPFbao8qfqGGiPdS74hp_lIwFBfvfKBuHyqgb5fLFsIblO934AMiG8pRnxu0ommVwn4Z1Bdjk6dnK3c/s1600/DSCN7272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierhI2XlYu64fYFczHv1LYfziCu3aJi6gOry_JGV1JuSbToRV-_pq991Ux0TRbvPFbao8qfqGGiPdS74hp_lIwFBfvfKBuHyqgb5fLFsIblO934AMiG8pRnxu0ommVwn4Z1Bdjk6dnK3c/s320/DSCN7272.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3NsSZii8A9YWPX3uYqk9OULCLy-ibT9yJZGGzhKS7-4xb6ZWFWZMP7nojHADvVHzrPWWEOz7B6pewOQ4PuO-tKHhWpGfWArCtEGrAPJ58zujqZbh_XKIpAhfd61r7e8GTkmgrIlhxU0/s1600/DSCN7282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3NsSZii8A9YWPX3uYqk9OULCLy-ibT9yJZGGzhKS7-4xb6ZWFWZMP7nojHADvVHzrPWWEOz7B6pewOQ4PuO-tKHhWpGfWArCtEGrAPJ58zujqZbh_XKIpAhfd61r7e8GTkmgrIlhxU0/s320/DSCN7282.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">This picture is awesome, this is a monument of Richard Spruce, an early explorer of Ecuador, his book is a must read. Lou is a fan and he has been after several species that Spruce discovered but were lost and I really like the fact that a botanist sculpture made it to such special place in the heart of diversity and endemism. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgYW2jm_A0dkubDt9lcqWE2SOGR-ojB0XMt6FoXFkHu3Nf5uN8EfMMDLhkTOvk8G7mj7b0sE42q4a8xm9GSdWmNHaJR2Pyu0yO_tB1SP9KZjTOo0A9pWbpNqFvNVhfbBhFzKcDsWJq8g/s1600/DSCN7149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgYW2jm_A0dkubDt9lcqWE2SOGR-ojB0XMt6FoXFkHu3Nf5uN8EfMMDLhkTOvk8G7mj7b0sE42q4a8xm9GSdWmNHaJR2Pyu0yO_tB1SP9KZjTOo0A9pWbpNqFvNVhfbBhFzKcDsWJq8g/s320/DSCN7149.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Before I forget....</b>I love that along the roads there are so many truck with funny names or paintings, for example this truck is called "El mil Amores" The Thousand Loves. How can you get bored in these roads?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ngzwnMHOgG1qOfw6HTLpef-1Q7RwpZtFb4w_Co2hrRJnX0bSbWJ9bQnsWmoh8Qm2b2zp7pSNavrAtubrxENsLq9cUbXZVGGO7NdPNviIXevGBJ8gm07LtbpbZ6aqD1pAD5ZGxfQqsGE/s1600/DSCN7099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ngzwnMHOgG1qOfw6HTLpef-1Q7RwpZtFb4w_Co2hrRJnX0bSbWJ9bQnsWmoh8Qm2b2zp7pSNavrAtubrxENsLq9cUbXZVGGO7NdPNviIXevGBJ8gm07LtbpbZ6aqD1pAD5ZGxfQqsGE/s320/DSCN7099.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This is a "cuy" (guineae pig) rotisserie. I am not a fan of any animal product and I have observed with interest how many foreigners would like to try "cuy". This is a picture of it, it smells better than it looks. Will not try one, even if my Ecuadorian citizenship requires me too.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdiEZAyT5XseO8QK_Azl6TIf0-vxv1Bv-CIfGpv9k6DsTUWivovoN_Roojclr6iwyzjwQQ0SJbLt8wjApekMqaqSe8aFpz7J0BQHJC3uV5h-pjLNA-oeK9KqAP4ZOXxpBvM9kXbpBIOY/s1600/DSCN7401.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdiEZAyT5XseO8QK_Azl6TIf0-vxv1Bv-CIfGpv9k6DsTUWivovoN_Roojclr6iwyzjwQQ0SJbLt8wjApekMqaqSe8aFpz7J0BQHJC3uV5h-pjLNA-oeK9KqAP4ZOXxpBvM9kXbpBIOY/s320/DSCN7401.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-8589612849654821912012-03-30T11:47:00.000-07:002012-03-30T12:55:31.261-07:00Highlights with the lab<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In a north to south eastern Ecuador trip we had the greatest time sharing orchids, stories and well kept field secrets like the preparation of peanut butter and mustard cracker sandwich. Norris, our advisor took us for one of kind fieldtrip that I will take with me where ever I go. This bus stop served us as a picnic stop along the way to Zamora.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6W71u1LaQHa19VXSll3Bef6YR1GSugpmYh-MJojTUIQW2BwzlQgyMhsI-9-US0n5qAyS8YlI8NmWwO4CPiQgBM2NDFAQp4kFZmqJBT5L-zBPGwJVeLKEDNVaIvksg2wUUWZux26JTtw/s1600/School+bus+pic+nic+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk6W71u1LaQHa19VXSll3Bef6YR1GSugpmYh-MJojTUIQW2BwzlQgyMhsI-9-US0n5qAyS8YlI8NmWwO4CPiQgBM2NDFAQp4kFZmqJBT5L-zBPGwJVeLKEDNVaIvksg2wUUWZux26JTtw/s320/School+bus+pic+nic+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Mario Blanco, Kurt Neubig, Norris Williams, Paula Viveros, Mark Whitten waiting for lunch. Check the puppy...looking at the camera.<br />
<br />
These pictures are actually a joke on Kurt. Back in the day, Kurt was working with <i>Dichaea</i> and Mark and Norris decided to make a <i>Selaginella</i> look like <i>Dichaea. </i>In the left you can see the <i>Selaginella</i> surgery and the right the product....they called Kurt who came running to see it! Love the unnoticed branch on Norris hat.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq_hsQ6SaBSszthrTcWx_pl3C9TdWOhtNY0p-XdHTrz0W1H2p6cxohSmNZsZcQGx-mhSHg28m42ZAVpGYA0y31hYTK5C9rurE4pYSKDiORHjqjeXYUPH9QfEqy2izRSz9XwGlMj5OCv0/s1600/Copy+of+DSCN0993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq_hsQ6SaBSszthrTcWx_pl3C9TdWOhtNY0p-XdHTrz0W1H2p6cxohSmNZsZcQGx-mhSHg28m42ZAVpGYA0y31hYTK5C9rurE4pYSKDiORHjqjeXYUPH9QfEqy2izRSz9XwGlMj5OCv0/s320/Copy+of+DSCN0993.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk0gDT53lbIFUenI34d_vOdUQjW-yh__DPaFbWTBv_SlYxWxDyAkX2nNqZnvawm_mp4cnyQoRZ6BjYutLJ3ZDLOlyyFbdwgGFNNO5zQg-N9UgFE4eYEXGlBnm45qgOfUdxEIrkmtaPy8/s1600/Copy+of+DSCN0991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibk0gDT53lbIFUenI34d_vOdUQjW-yh__DPaFbWTBv_SlYxWxDyAkX2nNqZnvawm_mp4cnyQoRZ6BjYutLJ3ZDLOlyyFbdwgGFNNO5zQg-N9UgFE4eYEXGlBnm45qgOfUdxEIrkmtaPy8/s320/Copy+of+DSCN0991.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is one of my super favorite pictures ever. This is in a little hostal in Vilcabamba, southern Ecuador, and the gentlemen are closing this gigantic plant press. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22upoI_7lR0HdltM-NmMYuuSianVRf_rT8HA8ykoPsOGO5fHAekFETsGo7cSTDkc_CuUrb1Lk6n3Ma6rPjnVytB7R9Hy3eUlgG-slC-RS8uHs79AtRz785hdM_-0w_eilE-nJr-wdOEo/s1600/DSCN1114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22upoI_7lR0HdltM-NmMYuuSianVRf_rT8HA8ykoPsOGO5fHAekFETsGo7cSTDkc_CuUrb1Lk6n3Ma6rPjnVytB7R9Hy3eUlgG-slC-RS8uHs79AtRz785hdM_-0w_eilE-nJr-wdOEo/s320/DSCN1114.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I like the additional use that Mark gave to the plant press. This picture should be great as a calendar picture.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QyYIcwhS0IIkC8HuwBbTVSUfVRa62vvc_boAIJ5je8FSxkedy7xc5shHkOpf-uwjUcD1qAyoP3wbjZvaMH8S8uaw4JleqSvXmAPcct8w2d1aWjt8UjUVHQ9g84CIULPrcBHqzl8WDnY/s1600/DSCN1120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QyYIcwhS0IIkC8HuwBbTVSUfVRa62vvc_boAIJ5je8FSxkedy7xc5shHkOpf-uwjUcD1qAyoP3wbjZvaMH8S8uaw4JleqSvXmAPcct8w2d1aWjt8UjUVHQ9g84CIULPrcBHqzl8WDnY/s320/DSCN1120.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We had a lot of fun with each other and also finding fun orchids! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50B6Z5KhB92cadtkFrIR3HsU2It7HZVDyhm4XDbfvF5nrFx02yVFve1YrYprp7vvZ_AOltFOFGw8Dc0xKHKECYjsqgIwBkOxYvnr5t1phWXVTXG2RievGLycGzOvY2Yhmmde1MTW1KLg/s1600/Copy+of+DSCN1032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_Rm_xwJd63jGftJpARoWhOjO5u2poseaoY10yhp5FnPmK_Gt55-2UNaiZfVlIizxGfjYVgLRfaSnep7eDUYLiYpzIxa5WdcVZF7go0z0B2IraplhtRDKzYwtePYhjuq2NsD2t-wYzcU/s1600/Copy+of+DSCN1081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_Rm_xwJd63jGftJpARoWhOjO5u2poseaoY10yhp5FnPmK_Gt55-2UNaiZfVlIizxGfjYVgLRfaSnep7eDUYLiYpzIxa5WdcVZF7go0z0B2IraplhtRDKzYwtePYhjuq2NsD2t-wYzcU/s320/Copy+of+DSCN1081.JPG" width="240" /></a><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50B6Z5KhB92cadtkFrIR3HsU2It7HZVDyhm4XDbfvF5nrFx02yVFve1YrYprp7vvZ_AOltFOFGw8Dc0xKHKECYjsqgIwBkOxYvnr5t1phWXVTXG2RievGLycGzOvY2Yhmmde1MTW1KLg/s320/Copy+of+DSCN1032.JPG" width="240" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrPu4m_SssnqhFPnkbgoVULbvvkfXzW5YKpMwbURE-U0W4XYZ3faeSFUpoG7dwTKomkvFxhIBeEY20zGZk4Gm562uQl3stYywmmTD-zKY4mKs-H9VVNc5hoRC6yA99gRG3VcjRYGSUjA/s1600/DSCN1074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPCfJ0FA01ijDQxSGK7jOebK6W0gGJrnB_OYXenfWBjYM4k4w3W2k5qF13LYgtBXGCak5aq4rr8thH1rbpUgmWbwdFDRQwqsWvL87DhtpVzo6dVoJYxA8enycW93VafSU9KQdS6sd99U/s1600/Copy+of+DSCN1079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPCfJ0FA01ijDQxSGK7jOebK6W0gGJrnB_OYXenfWBjYM4k4w3W2k5qF13LYgtBXGCak5aq4rr8thH1rbpUgmWbwdFDRQwqsWvL87DhtpVzo6dVoJYxA8enycW93VafSU9KQdS6sd99U/s320/Copy+of+DSCN1079.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This picture is a view of Cordillera del Condor, this mountain range is really interesting because is floristically more similar to the Guyana Shield vegetation and also is protected by the Shuar indigenous people. This picture was taken from the Portilla's greenhouse in El Pangui.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzo-5SuhuImzRtcsdlkje0mKIIrVDVN57CtGXIbpH6xmCzCSrQIGDot_IqHfYDwda3JEzNknhgS6_aFctht5Inyi3jVR23M__z09ULON5ORO3Ir59ksYKe_d7JQ_BsRGXHWRN7IsAyls/s1600/DSCN1298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzo-5SuhuImzRtcsdlkje0mKIIrVDVN57CtGXIbpH6xmCzCSrQIGDot_IqHfYDwda3JEzNknhgS6_aFctht5Inyi3jVR23M__z09ULON5ORO3Ir59ksYKe_d7JQ_BsRGXHWRN7IsAyls/s320/DSCN1298.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Flat tire....of course, otherwise the trip is not a trip in Ecuador, Kurt learns from the well experienced Norris Williams. There is a beautiful thing about flat tires in Ecuador, "Vulcanizadoras" are everywhere, we probably have the highest tire repair shops density in the world.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyD-OCNcMmWJ9XzcRS8J20K3UrxyTbFWSMIjAt20N6ZijJ86MQJTNbGPJ92ClbI3FV9GgF4Au4Mpref5FB31i9tanWovEnmNL8GJSQkJbPhznU6kWHSf5w__6G8_vq-yWQV-9I9kFOFrc/s1600/DSCN1352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyD-OCNcMmWJ9XzcRS8J20K3UrxyTbFWSMIjAt20N6ZijJ86MQJTNbGPJ92ClbI3FV9GgF4Au4Mpref5FB31i9tanWovEnmNL8GJSQkJbPhznU6kWHSf5w__6G8_vq-yWQV-9I9kFOFrc/s320/DSCN1352.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvcCEX4oxTN3HYdOypL4anJIWW7HTRWayMhV6J3_UneMTu1pNZ1EPQAq0_4O5iBHAubRZao-ccSgfdCSM1eoUiIWh4zPPyVhBW1uofOQ5kWhuDCGaod_LNnNviddk01iNGvh86gqoef0/s1600/DSCN1354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvcCEX4oxTN3HYdOypL4anJIWW7HTRWayMhV6J3_UneMTu1pNZ1EPQAq0_4O5iBHAubRZao-ccSgfdCSM1eoUiIWh4zPPyVhBW1uofOQ5kWhuDCGaod_LNnNviddk01iNGvh86gqoef0/s320/DSCN1354.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I got really hungry and grumpy but I promise that I am not dangerous, despite the pictures</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAB65j7Hp1tOEsOC0G447RyPsPYPHO2YIr4J6EVvinMQn0Ryi2nSVGbXNcWsHb0Phl5p8M89lckmYNgbYfNwa5yNfZIi5i2rCWLix03wesxoFWXoZTIVkGot1qlGZdr7O1BSb4K30hjyI/s1600/DSCN4990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAB65j7Hp1tOEsOC0G447RyPsPYPHO2YIr4J6EVvinMQn0Ryi2nSVGbXNcWsHb0Phl5p8M89lckmYNgbYfNwa5yNfZIi5i2rCWLix03wesxoFWXoZTIVkGot1qlGZdr7O1BSb4K30hjyI/s320/DSCN4990.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2cF4o1wKgEvYYqjo8aO-dQ_uK9CAWOxUwgST6e_qx4nI5UPZPzgQE7G_Dxdilna0pby-oseeS64dgaoVA6diuk5ebyvnJcEfYumOX4KhqoB1hgbvJz5EDX7jUmAzrCDl_Nrw7LBDWF4/s1600/DSCN5028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2cF4o1wKgEvYYqjo8aO-dQ_uK9CAWOxUwgST6e_qx4nI5UPZPzgQE7G_Dxdilna0pby-oseeS64dgaoVA6diuk5ebyvnJcEfYumOX4KhqoB1hgbvJz5EDX7jUmAzrCDl_Nrw7LBDWF4/s320/DSCN5028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Lorena and Mario in a fun breakfast in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. If we could just be doing fieldwork!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXI5GwcB-qhU3Zl5O1ndgt_rGPZZuP-8CjWcW1z3_85R0u4O2psvE5ipM58M1pNojFVhsq4Zsw0GS5HjqMJiFxIrgBU0tS0BR4jzDixuNYY4BY8nauuLuaBHCBVY7zkHR-ffMaJvzwO0U/s1600/MarioLorena+Vilcabamba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXI5GwcB-qhU3Zl5O1ndgt_rGPZZuP-8CjWcW1z3_85R0u4O2psvE5ipM58M1pNojFVhsq4Zsw0GS5HjqMJiFxIrgBU0tS0BR4jzDixuNYY4BY8nauuLuaBHCBVY7zkHR-ffMaJvzwO0U/s320/MarioLorena+Vilcabamba.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Mario y los Cachorros (puppies) in La Manzana Real Hotel (Royal Apple Hotel) in Zamora. I think that we will never forget this place, Kurt, Mario, Mark and Paula got severely ill and Norris and I were trying to act like nurses helping them, there was nothing we really could do, just keep high spirits and joke about everything...Kurt will never forget this unique adventure, this was his first contact with the local fauna.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJlD5WCrYhfp6t0q0eT4qBnI26z8fITpFYYpz7HeP4T52tL1i8-JFVMZ5V1CEqp5E9y4EngGsqg2eO1TtLtTEbAlOUEqMpgXOo9luO7Mp3mjpfliJbhYu6q9tbGJ-LtaZDyw9eHJ9Qp8/s1600/Mario+y+cachorros.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJlD5WCrYhfp6t0q0eT4qBnI26z8fITpFYYpz7HeP4T52tL1i8-JFVMZ5V1CEqp5E9y4EngGsqg2eO1TtLtTEbAlOUEqMpgXOo9luO7Mp3mjpfliJbhYu6q9tbGJ-LtaZDyw9eHJ9Qp8/s320/Mario+y+cachorros.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
After our field trip we attended the First Scientific Andean Orchid Conference, we had a great time. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrPu4m_SssnqhFPnkbgoVULbvvkfXzW5YKpMwbURE-U0W4XYZ3faeSFUpoG7dwTKomkvFxhIBeEY20zGZk4Gm562uQl3stYywmmTD-zKY4mKs-H9VVNc5hoRC6yA99gRG3VcjRYGSUjA/s1600/DSCN1074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrPu4m_SssnqhFPnkbgoVULbvvkfXzW5YKpMwbURE-U0W4XYZ3faeSFUpoG7dwTKomkvFxhIBeEY20zGZk4Gm562uQl3stYywmmTD-zKY4mKs-H9VVNc5hoRC6yA99gRG3VcjRYGSUjA/s1600/DSCN1074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZtATbHbDbspzHdb6L2rMxf_okJVMquCC80nKQvcjP5LX3Qe_7ttz9-tnJRy8g4yYrI1pAsy-KZYcim-jixFvoOs-aD3yVtshYswd_4NrYErPQmJmPqa3VvrdPnPqdj2WILuZh8gc6b0/s1600/Ecuador+nov+21+2005+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZtATbHbDbspzHdb6L2rMxf_okJVMquCC80nKQvcjP5LX3Qe_7ttz9-tnJRy8g4yYrI1pAsy-KZYcim-jixFvoOs-aD3yVtshYswd_4NrYErPQmJmPqa3VvrdPnPqdj2WILuZh8gc6b0/s320/Ecuador+nov+21+2005+028.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mario Blanco, Samantha Koehler, Paula Viveros, Mark Whitten</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bj0yl7vWgQGWuU_cRU6LrBKynHj6ic1xcQOT7DdEG32bH0FG6ib4uWkDozErr7iT4wgSEoS9a7I5o0mXN1KaAZ30hVsQA0Uern5lzYxz_rYfrnrpGPcKIPrjneyHQ9qLpq5xcagqMt4/s1600/Ecuador+nov+21+2005+031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_bj0yl7vWgQGWuU_cRU6LrBKynHj6ic1xcQOT7DdEG32bH0FG6ib4uWkDozErr7iT4wgSEoS9a7I5o0mXN1KaAZ30hVsQA0Uern5lzYxz_rYfrnrpGPcKIPrjneyHQ9qLpq5xcagqMt4/s320/Ecuador+nov+21+2005+031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Lorena, Kurt and Norris - love this picture!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Before I forget...</b> This is one of those things that makes me cringe. Electric showers. I think that the idea of energy saving is great and I wish that since electric showers are so incredible in this aspect, engineers will focus in the design and it will also help if they can make them installer proof. This is a vivid example of why I rather take a cold shower or not take one at all...this was probably Frankensteins shower. The price difference of room with electric shower was a dollar (5 to 6 USD per night) and the teller will tell you that in order to take a shower you need to turn the light switch first.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizl30WFqVgAgffC_C3lBJyy454LYJMv-hbt_37N6_rrvMrxdzgb8WY5KW02qLk0CoWsBpxJ9_9HenQJwW7zI07snBvw6iKrerXlap1qm_ZEN9WGZVt1BU23O8WM2h8TPp1xl6N6yt-NCg/s1600/DSCN1301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizl30WFqVgAgffC_C3lBJyy454LYJMv-hbt_37N6_rrvMrxdzgb8WY5KW02qLk0CoWsBpxJ9_9HenQJwW7zI07snBvw6iKrerXlap1qm_ZEN9WGZVt1BU23O8WM2h8TPp1xl6N6yt-NCg/s320/DSCN1301.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-18410862558035075722012-03-27T14:28:00.001-07:002012-04-26T15:55:09.379-07:00Potential habitats of Scaphosepalum: Siempre Verde and the Intag regionSiempre Verde is reserve in northwestern Ecuador that protects remnant forests of the Intag Region and the Toisan Mountain Range. This region has been extensively converted into agricultural patches so we were very lucky to visit this site that I thought it was going to be similar to the Los Cedros forest so I thought I could find some Scaphosepalums here.<br />
<br />
The Director of this reserve is a good friend of mine, Alex Reynolds, and we both were doing our undergrad thesis, he worked with <i>Chondrorhynca</i> and bees and I worked with <i>Dracula</i> and flies. Here you can see Alex explaining to his group the activities of the day and how are we going to hike and see. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1A4AeTobIJ4-pGxqcbF_njUW2eK58jAxdtw6Wz-B66w7ZKtWFkEaMcBiV245ciIXqB_pRxSQm21UwMAfjaAWjVMnHoSR5-HlB_M0wc1RCQj3ULUBJt5dBAL3mT2G2t8leLsZFs48-dfA/s1600/IMG_9838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1A4AeTobIJ4-pGxqcbF_njUW2eK58jAxdtw6Wz-B66w7ZKtWFkEaMcBiV245ciIXqB_pRxSQm21UwMAfjaAWjVMnHoSR5-HlB_M0wc1RCQj3ULUBJt5dBAL3mT2G2t8leLsZFs48-dfA/s320/IMG_9838.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
In this trip I was so happy to share the hikes Mike Wenzel from the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. ABG has been instrumental for my research, they grow my plants and they are so good at making them flower so I can measure and study them. I am super fortunate to have their collaboration.<br />
<br />
Back to Siempre Verde! The first day we hiked on the lower part of the reserved and walked by the river most of the time. This place is phenomenal, we were able to find lots of terrestrial orchids, the most common were <i>Cyclopogons.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5iOF773mw1levrVW9jqVI1zMTGoTTSdkMvHRqsj9jnpnnHnAtiB2Of8eDOXmNfMmFg0f1twOsULMMc4mLFZ9dmiArjpMoY3cjbvo2K8K9XZ_wog6vY-YKusrhTJoXZWv8RnGVcA0ORo/s1600/IMG_9911.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5iOF773mw1levrVW9jqVI1zMTGoTTSdkMvHRqsj9jnpnnHnAtiB2Of8eDOXmNfMmFg0f1twOsULMMc4mLFZ9dmiArjpMoY3cjbvo2K8K9XZ_wog6vY-YKusrhTJoXZWv8RnGVcA0ORo/s320/IMG_9911.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwolWoQ-lHTTJRw9SPsLU1_qPHj0VI5AC8vUqp57Nj3WsnmM0pjQ0XGOVYP-J5GCgvuB8ZgUhuh4VMfms3jAEnbpSVDV3ZQNUBKXKkDqWL3tgFgZOehJN-Mgwourrq4wPTG5_yvbEAc00/s1600/IMG_9914.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwolWoQ-lHTTJRw9SPsLU1_qPHj0VI5AC8vUqp57Nj3WsnmM0pjQ0XGOVYP-J5GCgvuB8ZgUhuh4VMfms3jAEnbpSVDV3ZQNUBKXKkDqWL3tgFgZOehJN-Mgwourrq4wPTG5_yvbEAc00/s320/IMG_9914.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4OILukzIot7fS6jN2gogvmJKF27dDfCIiSmqEHE4TL6wYY01NW_8fBL2Ow9P9io3sFyLosi9zcKXqACPEJPDQhq-Gad4hitLpeicrT6B3ds-rOt9V03x0COhBp6U0ti4L7iULbrWSwU/s1600/IMG_9916.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb4OILukzIot7fS6jN2gogvmJKF27dDfCIiSmqEHE4TL6wYY01NW_8fBL2Ow9P9io3sFyLosi9zcKXqACPEJPDQhq-Gad4hitLpeicrT6B3ds-rOt9V03x0COhBp6U0ti4L7iULbrWSwU/s320/IMG_9916.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jeff, Judy and Mike walking along the river</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7whvFdOPMNmDs5amwFr0jPXFV2JztbXMUv7MI46k8exnce80cRfsenG7GyI2nJVH25qx4bBJpvDuxqJxNpFvq_-dC8X6uTOXbL0xOdQJj6qub5h4YVu5OvZjcEv6MsC-4GWle8FoyQ4/s1600/IMG_9852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7whvFdOPMNmDs5amwFr0jPXFV2JztbXMUv7MI46k8exnce80cRfsenG7GyI2nJVH25qx4bBJpvDuxqJxNpFvq_-dC8X6uTOXbL0xOdQJj6qub5h4YVu5OvZjcEv6MsC-4GWle8FoyQ4/s320/IMG_9852.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGRb9LXfoVxkanwOzz6QA91Wj5Jwnta2Fwb6XikMfaWvp9Z03Ob8rjcYL-ieXnqX4mjzlwJtp4iJXUxBbI5aixY8zusZg7fVpquyXsywH7LG4SMNCuqHBpjEGj3XC4DsbHBjb3WywmEI/s1600/IMG_9853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGRb9LXfoVxkanwOzz6QA91Wj5Jwnta2Fwb6XikMfaWvp9Z03Ob8rjcYL-ieXnqX4mjzlwJtp4iJXUxBbI5aixY8zusZg7fVpquyXsywH7LG4SMNCuqHBpjEGj3XC4DsbHBjb3WywmEI/s320/IMG_9853.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I love these pictures: On the way back we had to cross a cow field with some hidden swampy spots and citrus trees that were full of orchids. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX8j5lK-lBSyQz6JEYPE44jXR6dr-Zj_Mi3XpGWr6PA-aADxGAkhYyOLM2h4DV6ra8Y52YZmTbml-ibKuJOQAS70vMff_nFlJwAs2icaAg03UjkeMm26nacWo1uBb3URUTlHjnhY4Zm8A/s320/IMG_9935.JPG" width="320" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLgnyCvwca7V0guJwKJa7Lu-gOc8xLg76DHhks1mZWUWDTam_YL9d5c_ksFB8SqygOra5jmMGwi8qXDfhwKDWn4CWUJSq2O5r_4ApHf-0o44fWV5WIU_B4w9PS9urAnYCt-T7DmugUZk/s1600/IMG_9934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLgnyCvwca7V0guJwKJa7Lu-gOc8xLg76DHhks1mZWUWDTam_YL9d5c_ksFB8SqygOra5jmMGwi8qXDfhwKDWn4CWUJSq2O5r_4ApHf-0o44fWV5WIU_B4w9PS9urAnYCt-T7DmugUZk/s320/IMG_9934.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mike finds a super cute <i>Stellilabium</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxhdXxFE_yCeFggOwCtFgipqTKjI8UNF1OUc0r2Vdgb-YkEQmJRIGVu0Ut-gJTPmk5sU-ZLp09xl8iQdsGtN2U-ekoSZjIgXOumvTfKkdZ-Cop8nro7LuaQhemQxmdxhudPHs7BPo7vc/s1600/IMG_9937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxhdXxFE_yCeFggOwCtFgipqTKjI8UNF1OUc0r2Vdgb-YkEQmJRIGVu0Ut-gJTPmk5sU-ZLp09xl8iQdsGtN2U-ekoSZjIgXOumvTfKkdZ-Cop8nro7LuaQhemQxmdxhudPHs7BPo7vc/s320/IMG_9937.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigO1WTKk9wdsHJzTSbcH9x826acxXK5HGMjhrrQg76hMpoT4cC_tL4N7HWjhx9ow3kxxTGl9Ddz_PfF2Zf56IXoemc5fcag3kQcOk_3UKoqibVIPdYqH12EKOivC2kw8jI_uPvmbQi1D0/s320/IMG_9939.JPG" width="320" /> </div>
Other cute findings<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNi_apHRWfcA7whmOA9_oziAZX2yEKXXwQYOE4GXxOt4eAVxXpmCX58OEMtiu1PInW9mGnTo0MGcfQjcTsmEV34sjL5_Ufentj-W9ykWP5KEShDEXH5OzkuETdwFYBJQ98pYeEInlkbk8/s320/IMG_9941.JPG" width="320" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-72XKwUJUO1uqx9gb8RqfzODs1V6uZVK1BV2YH6shZfzJUygJNnw5ipNOrr_0j91lW2famSTy9Hd9oftSgm0y1q7QVhSd-nK7b1_BPun-apEX52enYApjfz6X0L7OgxBlbNbU0HAcGKM/s1600/IMG_9944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-72XKwUJUO1uqx9gb8RqfzODs1V6uZVK1BV2YH6shZfzJUygJNnw5ipNOrr_0j91lW2famSTy9Hd9oftSgm0y1q7QVhSd-nK7b1_BPun-apEX52enYApjfz6X0L7OgxBlbNbU0HAcGKM/s320/IMG_9944.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The next day we hiked the path on the right that goes all the way to the ridge of this mountain (1000m altitudinal difference), Nelson was our guide.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_yoF7Tu0iuOj32XbTJECJmjRdk00tyRKjUM4Qi95efxFleg08mXi1d1F5Sy_-HRu7-6elRqvDrHK2Q93Ws8U59zRdOyvAM5lD56pY5o3TMw_EuN1qkkyEmenJl-hLrcPHtKH2P3d5XU/s1600/Intag.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU_yoF7Tu0iuOj32XbTJECJmjRdk00tyRKjUM4Qi95efxFleg08mXi1d1F5Sy_-HRu7-6elRqvDrHK2Q93Ws8U59zRdOyvAM5lD56pY5o3TMw_EuN1qkkyEmenJl-hLrcPHtKH2P3d5XU/s320/Intag.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgLRPjGx8jZFadbU7YOQMOeYfKpZZbaq4bazkgaxZAqk4dJTVq-eFfcLZPJaRa4_FQ5QWLLyT3dpt5_b2knNQpWiDKuEMh9UgmUF9QzBWPbWAc-_hi_dGshrQC2rDkrlun673Gvq5grk/s1600/IMG_9953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQgLRPjGx8jZFadbU7YOQMOeYfKpZZbaq4bazkgaxZAqk4dJTVq-eFfcLZPJaRa4_FQ5QWLLyT3dpt5_b2knNQpWiDKuEMh9UgmUF9QzBWPbWAc-_hi_dGshrQC2rDkrlun673Gvq5grk/s320/IMG_9953.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The trail was full of spectackled bear tracks and we have seen some cubs on the way in. Along the trail we also so some of the leftover bromeliads that were eaten. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On top of the hill, there is the most unbelievable forest ever, the Lord of the Rings could totally be filmed there, you walk most of the time on the roots of trees or underneath them.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vFNE6es18d7G49ZFX3WvBAT46Rl0RnY5CYRE7yge_wyJWgfoWTms2HaQ4K16Y29px6rzZbB6th4mN088Y9yp_0E6nzhgncmmteDug0gsM6GrkFIiblgeB6cMfiQ8fWKqWvt-plcQXS0/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1vFNE6es18d7G49ZFX3WvBAT46Rl0RnY5CYRE7yge_wyJWgfoWTms2HaQ4K16Y29px6rzZbB6th4mN088Y9yp_0E6nzhgncmmteDug0gsM6GrkFIiblgeB6cMfiQ8fWKqWvt-plcQXS0/s320/IMG_0007.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIfDFIVtx8lvy-bMhu9BR8a6g5pcgcsJnPjwKX4a7Q5eGFHD-1MMXvo_lOSizksPkZRwTEtmfJOg8uO8DdvZyKyJPDotUeOunco9fGDAIQkLXiI07GHJ37lGk0uYs0N7ffEGNFYcrRBU/s1600/IMG_0016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIfDFIVtx8lvy-bMhu9BR8a6g5pcgcsJnPjwKX4a7Q5eGFHD-1MMXvo_lOSizksPkZRwTEtmfJOg8uO8DdvZyKyJPDotUeOunco9fGDAIQkLXiI07GHJ37lGk0uYs0N7ffEGNFYcrRBU/s320/IMG_0016.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
The ridge is also covered with <i>Barbosella </i>plants that were fruiting but is the dominant orchid in the higher parts of this trail. You can also find all sorts of strange things like this <i>Pachyphylum</i>, <i>Fernandezia</i>, <i>Prescottia</i>, Epidendrums and huge plants<i> Lepanthes magnifica</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObQSTkZKeiHX-OG3PToTNAkLODN0f9IfR9671kV8oqDQgNQIIa35qzs-vDM7MZllk7gFQI6oxJMR3epMXIOj5fLEDPRzH7J1mvhtjNZ00mBJkU4Zv7hccfnwmoIftUXbC9-8Hfrv7TpY/s1600/IMG_9994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiObQSTkZKeiHX-OG3PToTNAkLODN0f9IfR9671kV8oqDQgNQIIa35qzs-vDM7MZllk7gFQI6oxJMR3epMXIOj5fLEDPRzH7J1mvhtjNZ00mBJkU4Zv7hccfnwmoIftUXbC9-8Hfrv7TpY/s320/IMG_9994.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrr5rUkqTvXtEWRhCxC9yWZH-45Ws2y2UOzCf38QqN-GJQ6veX9C3rbbLUch4TTx5N2CR3FrQPEC4xUUZZrZo-EIGHn7LzjA-vd5ygS9wcBf7rm8wG5QfxI5K3AdMJ0JC3-UJJ6MQXaw/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrr5rUkqTvXtEWRhCxC9yWZH-45Ws2y2UOzCf38QqN-GJQ6veX9C3rbbLUch4TTx5N2CR3FrQPEC4xUUZZrZo-EIGHn7LzjA-vd5ygS9wcBf7rm8wG5QfxI5K3AdMJ0JC3-UJJ6MQXaw/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2Q9MgnN-23628C89HjBI2pckMkTLnEz-t3bANas4pssB6nWVzQ0E4BEppDaqjyEi-BLxTkXtoDv2o2LTHPkqjOjBehcFHvWJJKLNOcnHzv-oqAExx0M-4UnS_7syy_cjSIjfiUovU4Q/s1600/IMG_9987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2Q9MgnN-23628C89HjBI2pckMkTLnEz-t3bANas4pssB6nWVzQ0E4BEppDaqjyEi-BLxTkXtoDv2o2LTHPkqjOjBehcFHvWJJKLNOcnHzv-oqAExx0M-4UnS_7syy_cjSIjfiUovU4Q/s320/IMG_9987.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUc24wDIruBRXBGU2TwV3g12wd064xaCFIp8iwxyqP1uV9BewXTkZjBXYXWmBG39O9zUWyJ58ZG4Cf_q08zJ6nJW4btmvm-HcEoAkA1OZCI6Ry2gPyYTuUdFqhVOncLmRNB7wsChPpQA/s1600/IMG_9991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUc24wDIruBRXBGU2TwV3g12wd064xaCFIp8iwxyqP1uV9BewXTkZjBXYXWmBG39O9zUWyJ58ZG4Cf_q08zJ6nJW4btmvm-HcEoAkA1OZCI6Ry2gPyYTuUdFqhVOncLmRNB7wsChPpQA/s320/IMG_9991.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gCDJjPjPCg9Plsnv26h2t2akjukW0WbNUZ-mKO0KIyo5Y-pQLVOlP-wBcgCtfHjJ0jUNopxhD-3oMhe5WmBbwVUWIOIlBdtq6fR9SdCP0AxQUQNl1I7808lUdKAi3jjeNIyn7icGtOI/s1600/IMG_9963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gCDJjPjPCg9Plsnv26h2t2akjukW0WbNUZ-mKO0KIyo5Y-pQLVOlP-wBcgCtfHjJ0jUNopxhD-3oMhe5WmBbwVUWIOIlBdtq6fR9SdCP0AxQUQNl1I7808lUdKAi3jjeNIyn7icGtOI/s320/IMG_9963.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I love the picture on the left, it makes me laugh every time I see it. We are using our x-ray vision to see the Cotacachi volcano behind the clouds, can you see it? (If not look at the map on top of this blog). Jeff's x-rays are clearly not working, therefore his discontent, but it seems that Mike's x-ray camera is going to work. We walked the whole day and the only thing we saw is white! But on our way down we got very lucky and saw a bit of landscape.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPx89_t1qb1UKdg1bmd3Dz3fvvjwQqkjNr-n7MZVGER62xHwy3T0_cU_nvlFGyuljE21y_x2JEEpaq0D1aOed6XJZ2dd1Cr92pc_niTpvwu7su5ynUPYV_fveVxocBLmY7_haLWZISAFg/s1600/IMG_9998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPx89_t1qb1UKdg1bmd3Dz3fvvjwQqkjNr-n7MZVGER62xHwy3T0_cU_nvlFGyuljE21y_x2JEEpaq0D1aOed6XJZ2dd1Cr92pc_niTpvwu7su5ynUPYV_fveVxocBLmY7_haLWZISAFg/s320/IMG_9998.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZGstGa1uWeTH4tyvKdS-oOZqPqs0YidadUKLoqfhObn4Z6vgbvhD55S-IZa7JOe_TfUGKxaHyEgingAbNP_87Ffw1gn8D4XK4nVucQzf1nnYk5djox4Ko3pEhfhBvLX3Mfugd2lbTMY/s1600/IMG_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIZGstGa1uWeTH4tyvKdS-oOZqPqs0YidadUKLoqfhObn4Z6vgbvhD55S-IZa7JOe_TfUGKxaHyEgingAbNP_87Ffw1gn8D4XK4nVucQzf1nnYk5djox4Ko3pEhfhBvLX3Mfugd2lbTMY/s320/IMG_0031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Nocturnal plant pressing<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8B5UpbKPZxKBLOT331hnz6QrWC43v-bZGfI4Gx_hUl73wT3aOh9iNcY4nTKBZhvPjrmjgRKzPHgDbyNDQTrHnwfABz_CrTSYjnjzQ8JgWLSWVvKv7VdkO9HYaT6c0NcoXPpjxyTBktA/s1600/DSC_0645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8B5UpbKPZxKBLOT331hnz6QrWC43v-bZGfI4Gx_hUl73wT3aOh9iNcY4nTKBZhvPjrmjgRKzPHgDbyNDQTrHnwfABz_CrTSYjnjzQ8JgWLSWVvKv7VdkO9HYaT6c0NcoXPpjxyTBktA/s320/DSC_0645.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Scaphosepalum</i> wise, we found a couple of interesting things that could contribute to my research: <i>Platystele alucitae</i>, and one of the forms of<i> Specklinia grobyi </i>that just grows on this side of the Andes.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
This was a super fun trip thanks to Alex. He is saying goodbye to us. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuSogPCs3A7qkPgUF-7DJBdJpLficFsQTt5plgUmi814WJ6H8F1FUQRRYEpb7PpdsmR8lm2YqE4Kxmz3kYAismeYDzb8PuimZpOy75jCD7zT_uuVAimk9KOHlRUPvTZHZ5IICIxZyjIw/s1600/IMG_0035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuSogPCs3A7qkPgUF-7DJBdJpLficFsQTt5plgUmi814WJ6H8F1FUQRRYEpb7PpdsmR8lm2YqE4Kxmz3kYAismeYDzb8PuimZpOy75jCD7zT_uuVAimk9KOHlRUPvTZHZ5IICIxZyjIw/s320/IMG_0035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b> Before I forget....</b>.yes....we had a flat tire</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1pa2X-k_PNXRNqbgjupcHlLc0m3q9fgoq8Ie2SXkc_ApWxfzIwbmaCJh_wcHWwDnBlzZhc-fgLsJreQyGv25YkVy0oj9tVFi1iWT4fHeQ1bgjKYoAn_tQ-Ggp4AnGIzS0tltwA1j6_c/s1600/IMG_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv1pa2X-k_PNXRNqbgjupcHlLc0m3q9fgoq8Ie2SXkc_ApWxfzIwbmaCJh_wcHWwDnBlzZhc-fgLsJreQyGv25YkVy0oj9tVFi1iWT4fHeQ1bgjKYoAn_tQ-Ggp4AnGIzS0tltwA1j6_c/s320/IMG_0040.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gmOEX5CCQcM9upqJrEwTgMiRIeS6nk302VyoJBbqOoReSBshIH33c5g26Oj7V0x2rJU31KuHOg3dpGkp-jRuTuo256Su7CgOSatGgaRyLRgmnJPXxJsyWz_HFBfZchainlH192RiUek/s1600/IMG_0041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1gmOEX5CCQcM9upqJrEwTgMiRIeS6nk302VyoJBbqOoReSBshIH33c5g26Oj7V0x2rJU31KuHOg3dpGkp-jRuTuo256Su7CgOSatGgaRyLRgmnJPXxJsyWz_HFBfZchainlH192RiUek/s320/IMG_0041.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Love to be in the field!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IKkWm9IokjZtSdgi00W3gJHfaJ6SADR0wOcAckVjHBqMRO9ri7c2vZWv9vpF1kirE73JTgJAqZPBQlgWp-6rXut-bDH9mg0hfab6EUt0x89BKf6JBaxIQPyaNj64kYwZL3gQuPaOxMk/s1600/IMG_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IKkWm9IokjZtSdgi00W3gJHfaJ6SADR0wOcAckVjHBqMRO9ri7c2vZWv9vpF1kirE73JTgJAqZPBQlgWp-6rXut-bDH9mg0hfab6EUt0x89BKf6JBaxIQPyaNj64kYwZL3gQuPaOxMk/s320/IMG_0083.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This picture is dedicated to the people that don't believe in telecommuting. This is Jeff working on his way to the little town of Apuela in the back of the truck. Intelligent phones really rock!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3u2NBY0n5J9v5-XKioJe3upr1wYovYr6bY2_FhEzxOyWS76zcLLH7v_WL_MutrpxcGl_EJaeWUTOe4xc87hrSiioldhfp7IN9M4InsHj9HVYNUMr6pTHFppfsegee0Ot1PpIDh_KUn8/s320/IMG_0087.JPG" width="213" /></div>
<br />Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-12934016282792941672012-03-27T11:41:00.002-07:002012-03-30T12:57:36.853-07:00Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes part 2, round 3By this point I have spent so much money and time looking for this species that despite the anxiety that I have to find it, my energies and spirit were reaching the low point. Jeff gave me some more enthusiasm to do it for one more time, and we went to the same area but this time to explore two more trails that went along the river. We went with Mercedes Grefa, Gabriel's wife and she was great, happy and help us negotiate with the kichwa community of Alukus for permission to go in their territory.<br />
<br />
We walked along the river and found some incredible little pleurothallids from the now<i> Panmorfia</i> genus. Along our walk along the Jatunyacu river we found this incredible site called "El Lamedero" where you can see clouds of butterflies and many of them flying around you and resting all over you.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz7Q0VkIPczSak8YB2r22H3YPqY1kykP1AnQCRv9gGBSVsDhhqRrAf19Pz4XjyV4mnBhwdC4BPEDaOQ8tWnHjRfmA1awkT41bVOS8Y2qsMtR2AMYS6A4-DAePkF5XSIRfrNdOErjC4Fg/s1600/DSCN3356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuz7Q0VkIPczSak8YB2r22H3YPqY1kykP1AnQCRv9gGBSVsDhhqRrAf19Pz4XjyV4mnBhwdC4BPEDaOQ8tWnHjRfmA1awkT41bVOS8Y2qsMtR2AMYS6A4-DAePkF5XSIRfrNdOErjC4Fg/s320/DSCN3356.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMDWpGnAYxa9hBSCRb87rf1QYDn-hSXobU6gCBq0mwDUcARvBKBa5XbV19Ld15MbdhXPug_QZIondcGUyeYfvqFVpj4pwmnDe-mYDLRC1rIFhof3zZlzHd78s57PDi6wPaO19PR91f2o/s1600/DSCN3370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuMDWpGnAYxa9hBSCRb87rf1QYDn-hSXobU6gCBq0mwDUcARvBKBa5XbV19Ld15MbdhXPug_QZIondcGUyeYfvqFVpj4pwmnDe-mYDLRC1rIFhof3zZlzHd78s57PDi6wPaO19PR91f2o/s320/DSCN3370.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JKCFiC7ZpLUpBOv40WCNrmCfNs38yMcIm69LjEBrsr0czxlm-NLMrhZnpaBoRzGo40sVGlJvpXB-W8AZJITeuZmBkTDsCg6Ys58yVGClSxUElDsqPMIoLzpy92Sn_ZSlX651ntNkun4/s1600/DSCN3404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JKCFiC7ZpLUpBOv40WCNrmCfNs38yMcIm69LjEBrsr0czxlm-NLMrhZnpaBoRzGo40sVGlJvpXB-W8AZJITeuZmBkTDsCg6Ys58yVGClSxUElDsqPMIoLzpy92Sn_ZSlX651ntNkun4/s320/DSCN3404.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Along this trail, Mercedes and Jeff kept on bringing me plants, hoping that they will be <i>Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes</i>, and none of them were. At one point Mercedes told me that she just wanted to cry every time I said no...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPjfCd-9yRpILixtF0g85DsETaV-Av8jagenNwKSMCc5AmfLzKdjdw1Jkn1lSxBR4zSooLF5izlHu2GkR_s7nAYxOmX3a_PIYuijwUrEVAlQsTSSWUieMtUmlgp8L9iUlGxL1Ds_dCqg/s1600/IMG_0453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPjfCd-9yRpILixtF0g85DsETaV-Av8jagenNwKSMCc5AmfLzKdjdw1Jkn1lSxBR4zSooLF5izlHu2GkR_s7nAYxOmX3a_PIYuijwUrEVAlQsTSSWUieMtUmlgp8L9iUlGxL1Ds_dCqg/s320/IMG_0453.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bvKsMqf2n1FuIXmeCiXjFOup41XLAqH5o0fODGVjyu1dFV_lgmu3HVDs8_l3G6lE0YF3SfV9X21AxKnMx8m3jNZHagyN_Gn44KYg_MLCDQChmvoDqmmlf72kCBpKokVIP6y7ZoChNT0/s1600/IMG_0479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bvKsMqf2n1FuIXmeCiXjFOup41XLAqH5o0fODGVjyu1dFV_lgmu3HVDs8_l3G6lE0YF3SfV9X21AxKnMx8m3jNZHagyN_Gn44KYg_MLCDQChmvoDqmmlf72kCBpKokVIP6y7ZoChNT0/s320/IMG_0479.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTP2_9YjTPmgfj9i27CVtB_TgLYjWQ_ghlByoPhYG3Hw_tzW3RUfcAImzygyhx3JUqcdwWSDQJ3XdGfJ74CKB9vgUiqdrxeRAJCTuQtsue7o8HHdDKcCAsRrfd95DKH81zqaaFgahmenw/s1600/IMG_0435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTP2_9YjTPmgfj9i27CVtB_TgLYjWQ_ghlByoPhYG3Hw_tzW3RUfcAImzygyhx3JUqcdwWSDQJ3XdGfJ74CKB9vgUiqdrxeRAJCTuQtsue7o8HHdDKcCAsRrfd95DKH81zqaaFgahmenw/s320/IMG_0435.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Some of the little treasures we found, <i>Panmorphia barbulata</i>, <i>Platystele stenostachya</i> and <i>Dryadella cuspidata</i><br />
<br />
We turned around and try to hike towards a little hill using a path that had been open for wood harvesting. This place is full of very hungry mosquitos that we could not stop walking otherwise they will devour us. The mosquitos sacrificed me a couple times but I was just so eager to find this plant that I could not really care at that moment.<br />
<br />
Coming out of the forest, I just checked on some trees and I found one plant with one flower of something that could potentially be <i>S. pleurothallodes</i>. My time was over, I needed to go and get a movilization permit form my plants, go back to Quito and continue exploring for other species in other regions, so this was a beautiful finding.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXgXElL43wTmseoELilC9Pbsj2DjJT2EX4aNvRlDzPlriLCpSVQXW9xd3MdDjwgERNJzh7JnTy1SfcWOsyQYjHPSn978IcSS7JImBj_-tM5jgBcaYHHvOd1QmUsqY84ecnpAOP5VpLAM/s1600/DSCN3413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXgXElL43wTmseoELilC9Pbsj2DjJT2EX4aNvRlDzPlriLCpSVQXW9xd3MdDjwgERNJzh7JnTy1SfcWOsyQYjHPSn978IcSS7JImBj_-tM5jgBcaYHHvOd1QmUsqY84ecnpAOP5VpLAM/s320/DSCN3413.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I am coming out of the forest with Mercedes and on my other hand in the ziploc bag you can see the <i>"Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes" </i>I found.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8U6YrP2eqjWXkWlNOClvooGe55Aqe8dg-SX4Drpqet02VCb5RQJcatYDDdaimDLORLno88B0xiXkL_d3mJirV89yHtOsqxc3FUNLc_lod-eeDrXirCUkU12WBZrfmaJdjFqE6jgwlCU/s1600/DSCN3421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8U6YrP2eqjWXkWlNOClvooGe55Aqe8dg-SX4Drpqet02VCb5RQJcatYDDdaimDLORLno88B0xiXkL_d3mJirV89yHtOsqxc3FUNLc_lod-eeDrXirCUkU12WBZrfmaJdjFqE6jgwlCU/s320/DSCN3421.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Look clearly at my arm, can you see the one million mosquito bites? but I am so happy. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigk7aoHG0GC9IFQwERvg3O1wd_61PljHmWcQCqT7yL-IkClCP-iwBF8u-ZedSa488D48HS0_Zc1pWJGi3VoLf5R5a0jyhu9wkNFxa1g95fBn2tER7Ejih9MzlR8bsNJiqAmV71xt5Na3g/s1600/Toisan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigk7aoHG0GC9IFQwERvg3O1wd_61PljHmWcQCqT7yL-IkClCP-iwBF8u-ZedSa488D48HS0_Zc1pWJGi3VoLf5R5a0jyhu9wkNFxa1g95fBn2tER7Ejih9MzlR8bsNJiqAmV71xt5Na3g/s320/Toisan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This map shows our exploration efforts in this region, on the upper right corner you can see additional trails.<br />
<br />
<b>But NOT so fast</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-4gA7-pzTVmVF6RyptPCTQbRv3905fa78E6kpwNIcNdlXbcCpEopi4xBDGWpRhNeYe12Hah4CKwqUjt-drv8yV3C4YegVoWJ9_kv7IXt4c7HBqYzlquKsWYi_YFaFYkGT15XvK_hN9Q/s1600/IMG_0467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-4gA7-pzTVmVF6RyptPCTQbRv3905fa78E6kpwNIcNdlXbcCpEopi4xBDGWpRhNeYe12Hah4CKwqUjt-drv8yV3C4YegVoWJ9_kv7IXt4c7HBqYzlquKsWYi_YFaFYkGT15XvK_hN9Q/s320/IMG_0467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It turned out that what I found it was not <i>S. pleurothallodes</i>, it is actually <i>S. merinoi</i>, and it is really difficult to distinguish them because vegetatively they are similar but you need to see the column to be certain and for that purpose you need a microscope, so yes. <i>Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes </i>won again (4-0).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Before I forget!!! </b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In these Amazonian adventures our friends, Gabriel, Mercedes, Hernan and German treated us with the Amazonian delicacy..."Chontacuros" that are actually catterpillars that live in the chonta palm (<i>Bactris gasipaes</i>) and represent an important source of protein. They are fried in butter and served on a bed of zesty heart of palm (also the Chonta palm - Bactris gasipaes) over a banana leaf. You eat them with your hands<br />
Interesting to try, not sure I could add them to the regular diet unless I get lost in the field again!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXwVZc7DvZzZNuMDwuXoGMBdvMtz3DzAfGDry-kIFQ_AY7wtmMCFgrhsSY2JJo4H56Mnhb-J5b8oXcO_41VNcMLpabT91O6tr4TNZ0Mqj-W_Y8mlc35w6K1SrWFXwPsCcTNE0DZsnvyA/s1600/IMG_0137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXwVZc7DvZzZNuMDwuXoGMBdvMtz3DzAfGDry-kIFQ_AY7wtmMCFgrhsSY2JJo4H56Mnhb-J5b8oXcO_41VNcMLpabT91O6tr4TNZ0Mqj-W_Y8mlc35w6K1SrWFXwPsCcTNE0DZsnvyA/s320/IMG_0137.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Think about the trophic levels of this dish....</div>
</div>
</div>Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-53130011215285658352012-03-27T10:53:00.001-07:002012-03-30T12:59:49.421-07:00Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes round 2, second partThis time I decided to return to the place where Alex and I got lost since he found the type there. So Gabriel and German came with us. We have to pick up some machetes so we will be prepared. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlNc3l1_idSAQTF04dZEZi-crdSTOV04NAhzgJ7eIfFhlCos628nvtjri9wDYmQtbBblF_vpDlR5t18WBfiUcZUJnv1R_Qsn4BoIdPCsqR1EtEphb7uzqNnC34OiifCthbsCNPOfQ45o/s1600/IMG_0267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirlNc3l1_idSAQTF04dZEZi-crdSTOV04NAhzgJ7eIfFhlCos628nvtjri9wDYmQtbBblF_vpDlR5t18WBfiUcZUJnv1R_Qsn4BoIdPCsqR1EtEphb7uzqNnC34OiifCthbsCNPOfQ45o/s320/IMG_0267.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jO026ysBAExHOXHMrC5UZcnPcY-w-XBbdyC_kzIuJlaPPCan39oat-RxJUQh9BXBHSNqTdhMAN76kpZRa2eqtjaOouFMGy5bZ0Z08rC0Jy-y6eTP86veKPR_OCJT1rygOfF6JV8uxtM/s1600/IMG_0334.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9jO026ysBAExHOXHMrC5UZcnPcY-w-XBbdyC_kzIuJlaPPCan39oat-RxJUQh9BXBHSNqTdhMAN76kpZRa2eqtjaOouFMGy5bZ0Z08rC0Jy-y6eTP86veKPR_OCJT1rygOfF6JV8uxtM/s320/IMG_0334.JPG" width="213" /></a>German and Gabriel were going to guide us but we were also prepared to trust our GPS. We started our trip walking by the river and then into the forest through a super steep river bank that was so steep that it was difficult to look for pleurothallids, but we got super lucky and found Muscarellas, Sarcinulas, Platysteles, Dryadellas and Specklinias (all sister to<i> Scaphosepalum</i>). The most incredible view were <i>Vanilla </i>plants along these steep hills and <i>Aristolochia ruiziana</i> the first time I have seen the in the wild.<br />
We kept on climbing and we reached the same plateu were I got lost, it was a very good moment, to be there but this time with friends and ready to find this elusive <i>Scaphosepalum</i>.<br />
<br />
We found Specklinias but still could not find <i>Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes</i>. We started our way back and guess what...our guides got lost again. Jeff kept on following his GPS so sooner or later we were going to get out of there but did not not want to make our field guides feel bad so we kept on walking with them. German and Gabriel finally gave up and we walked following the river (Jeff was still checking with his GPS and we were fine) and look what we found, you really need to watch carefully and twist your feet so you do not stand on them:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcolB5ZEB45vfbk5vw3fJh7XfvmmZXSpT8lKZp1p_brnDxQLcbCrwvcoVafnaeFMt6zh3REbZaW9Od9GF89rwvcg6ZAD2lkCvK0b20wg7Q4s43HnRT_DCsdPAdYIgMvC0AhOzY-SGEFCY/s1600/IMG_0290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcolB5ZEB45vfbk5vw3fJh7XfvmmZXSpT8lKZp1p_brnDxQLcbCrwvcoVafnaeFMt6zh3REbZaW9Od9GF89rwvcg6ZAD2lkCvK0b20wg7Q4s43HnRT_DCsdPAdYIgMvC0AhOzY-SGEFCY/s320/IMG_0290.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwtS0LP2RnI4_tUi5SQ-MjvmLIIt9MDHH737Z9TcA0uaCVCy3jKR5Snhnx0P6T_8EA65vtJg2Hxhw3HRoB3Zf08ex5lohqOlU-hUf2Cdh66iMyxrgvp-EAX2IZYsZEZaZwUuN2haK8Nc/s1600/IMG_0295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHwtS0LP2RnI4_tUi5SQ-MjvmLIIt9MDHH737Z9TcA0uaCVCy3jKR5Snhnx0P6T_8EA65vtJg2Hxhw3HRoB3Zf08ex5lohqOlU-hUf2Cdh66iMyxrgvp-EAX2IZYsZEZaZwUuN2haK8Nc/s320/IMG_0295.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjF2h_CE-DmXfpE_cnTja7HNxfChSrIsHugLpLuA-df-zNCPNm8q9hEJlQaro2ExYl2EzEoh8zb9FznFdZ4AmCSi1Zbv6QPVtk7nkL2prxrJE4qptJTCcYtXjZMK44T_G5ufwoFMipN8/s1600/IMG_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjF2h_CE-DmXfpE_cnTja7HNxfChSrIsHugLpLuA-df-zNCPNm8q9hEJlQaro2ExYl2EzEoh8zb9FznFdZ4AmCSi1Zbv6QPVtk7nkL2prxrJE4qptJTCcYtXjZMK44T_G5ufwoFMipN8/s320/IMG_0301.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3y2n00JUgXsA_j44LizKKBNJP7E_33x954bhijzxo7VT_uEjnF4rM1Kkzqk4aZvZg0gNvC62yN902IVAtYR6D1VC3cyMUIy008_eGkO9Tx5dsN8FLg0m58-jKH009GvfH4bNckDArpqE/s1600/IMG_0294.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3y2n00JUgXsA_j44LizKKBNJP7E_33x954bhijzxo7VT_uEjnF4rM1Kkzqk4aZvZg0gNvC62yN902IVAtYR6D1VC3cyMUIy008_eGkO9Tx5dsN8FLg0m58-jKH009GvfH4bNckDArpqE/s320/IMG_0294.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes </i>won again though 3-0, the boys were relaxing by these natural swimming pools, I was completely frustrated at the time because the next day was the Ecuadorian sensus which meant we could not go out to the field and there was a curfew starting at 4 pm that day and the law of no alcohol distribution was clearly not observed in this place. It was 5 by the time these gentlemen were drinking some refreshments...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvu0Q3gl4U7g4fB6UMxE-vtyY5HTLg4qvKBb-xxZT2FurKDNYtUWixP9mQnNGdeHJrvOXhVmLjrNzvZaYOL8jKG8FfDwQchvnHAk5Al55QkDIxcuj8VqoAtKnZKgeRNZK3dXd6K6OwylQ/s1600/IMG_0299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvu0Q3gl4U7g4fB6UMxE-vtyY5HTLg4qvKBb-xxZT2FurKDNYtUWixP9mQnNGdeHJrvOXhVmLjrNzvZaYOL8jKG8FfDwQchvnHAk5Al55QkDIxcuj8VqoAtKnZKgeRNZK3dXd6K6OwylQ/s320/IMG_0299.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Before I forget...</b>The Ecuadorian census is very interesting, all the high school students receive training from the government agency and they are assigned areas where they have to go and conduct the sensus interviews, therefore, the curfew. The sensus is performed in one day and you cannot find anyone on the street.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9rRdtdeepTiaHBNyQ3PGG2MDIH2v47Z5a-KUi9DwOX9tgmxq2MA5Bj-K5WNy0V6z-tiNQltarY1jsVmzQzMuanpzT6xvvgMP6-Qg7U3hffeS_tM-n-viuCyPRiyW5iOeW7QHVQop_pc/s1600/DSCN3313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9rRdtdeepTiaHBNyQ3PGG2MDIH2v47Z5a-KUi9DwOX9tgmxq2MA5Bj-K5WNy0V6z-tiNQltarY1jsVmzQzMuanpzT6xvvgMP6-Qg7U3hffeS_tM-n-viuCyPRiyW5iOeW7QHVQop_pc/s320/DSCN3313.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Jeff being counted for the Ecuadorian sensus<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
During the census the Amazonian fauna enjoy the lack of humans and go for a bath in the junction of the Tena and Pano rivers. The tapir was exploring a panga (amozonian canoe) that was left there.</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPoX9MvVlhE7ZP4U8CWpgsbQ1-Rh8igeg92NqJY-Lgh1s1H9JVhsJyD95JgjiwDNE4ufsWRMu-CTtTl7sD0CfLryhnYUBORe_dBP4YDVz9CF5MqemPx3qI18pY6wegB_2TLKAUjEs7Yc/s1600/DSCN3342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYPoX9MvVlhE7ZP4U8CWpgsbQ1-Rh8igeg92NqJY-Lgh1s1H9JVhsJyD95JgjiwDNE4ufsWRMu-CTtTl7sD0CfLryhnYUBORe_dBP4YDVz9CF5MqemPx3qI18pY6wegB_2TLKAUjEs7Yc/s320/DSCN3342.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifo3r4GwU_9L6wEz4L3djNJ-IRk8ga5W2rEdQRsqveTTKNIld5s3AMI5JCayYkISLZZd6g3b5fYCtHrjRPmHzVihs34RJVaZCBkU2JWngV1TK0CJkDxUK4S9y3Vgcalnk4KF0n-vQVjQY/s1600/DSCN3325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifo3r4GwU_9L6wEz4L3djNJ-IRk8ga5W2rEdQRsqveTTKNIld5s3AMI5JCayYkISLZZd6g3b5fYCtHrjRPmHzVihs34RJVaZCBkU2JWngV1TK0CJkDxUK4S9y3Vgcalnk4KF0n-vQVjQY/s320/DSCN3325.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-56144985729143685602012-03-26T21:26:00.000-07:002012-03-30T13:02:27.865-07:00Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes round 2, first partPlease read the prelude to <i>Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes</i> published a little earlier.<br />
<br />
Is 2010, a year after I got lost. This time I have Jeff who can navigate with his eyes closed, we have acquired a super GPS with a special sensor, done the research with Google Earth, generated probability models with MaxEnt and we are going after <i>Scapsheoalum pleurothallode</i>s again. My secret weapon is that this time I have three kichwa friends with me and I have no intention of getting lost again. Did I mentioned it took me six months to get the permits? and I got those too!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlALehG8WpuzrJzNENKdOEZrhIN1wJwXsomdABaivHMXTLKyUKLRdoH0Q-7UnHGsV4M6Iawpd8R-CKvzOqOJ3HhuqqG0_OJi7-Rd5UllCzHhyf8szkYNzGljapdoBD4HZJq5XnDluevw/s1600/IMG_0143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFlALehG8WpuzrJzNENKdOEZrhIN1wJwXsomdABaivHMXTLKyUKLRdoH0Q-7UnHGsV4M6Iawpd8R-CKvzOqOJ3HhuqqG0_OJi7-Rd5UllCzHhyf8szkYNzGljapdoBD4HZJq5XnDluevw/s320/IMG_0143.JPG" width="213" /></a>My models indicated that I could find <i>S. pleurothallodes</i> in the forests along the tributaries of the Jatunyacu River so we went to explore the forests of the river Ibillichin.<br />
The picture on the left shows the entrance to the forest and it is the home to hundreds of Amazonian parrots.<br />
<br />
I was super lucky to have Gabriel Grefa, German Shihuango and Hernan Grefa with us. They have a house at the top of the mountain that is really incredible, if you wake up early in the morning before the clouds get in you can see Reventador, one of those incredible Amazonian Volcanoes.<br />
<br />
The trail to get there is steeeeeep, good for the heart, not that good for the soul, and terrible for the knees and the vocabulary. All along the trail is evident that the forest is recovering from deforestation and farming so pleurothallids were not frequent, nevertheless, the common <i>Stelis vulcanii, Stelis argentata, Platystele stenostachya</i> were all over the trail forest. Our kichwa friends were so amazed by the size of these tiny orchids that it was fun to tell them about how are they pollinated.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
After a long long walk we got to the house. I have been so many years working in the field that I learnt that when you are struggling to get to a point the natives will always tell you that you are almost there, that is just after the curve, or by the time they finish their cigarette you will be there when in fact, the curve never ends, they finish a pack of cigarettes and you are still not there. Now I just enjoy all fun sayings that they have to encourage us, the city people!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqvmnCoyGotC_VlG94jqUtksW0Q88lSIeI0jJ9OQ7m92XCRxZ7n343Lz8lWi5-qyMablWSmTPUKSI55iKmYVUhGFl7siNkHD9RKgdkc6NLCXc2qGgbqdcezUhLqhycyOYkGBFNWLf3oI/s320/DSCN3271.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This is Gabriel's house up in the mountain in the buffer zone of the Llanganates Reserve, I am talking to Hernan and German about our breakfast that turned out to be rice with mayo and fresh lemongrass tea.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3N44vksNTjc8PHagMDdMDD1Xtxud8CAqcC0Huo0jLVxoFj5usyed0I8KLYSg45uYoDRKVPc4qj7Ur5QM-HTwuaA_YZNxhC73iOueQndm4SUvusuBi6QzIU7pOak0Y3sv-dl2LA0LTUg/s320/DSCN3270.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The Reventador Volcano can still be seen at the back, the Amazonian clouds are coming in.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
That night, our chefs cooked tuna spaghetti and popcorn. We were really lucky with our friends that helped us in so many ways. Here you can see our stove and the chefs cooking underneath the house, on the left is German "Chef International" and on the right Hernan "El Chef Japones" since he is married to a Japanese lady and spent some time in Japan. After all these years I soooo admire people that can cook on the fire since I burn everything. We shared some stories over dinner and I think that our favorite was German telling his story of his first contact with chocolate.<br />
German used to live in a very remote place where there was no contact with people from the city, once, a mission went to visit them for Christmas and gave him one chocolate wrapped on a golden foil paper, he describes it as been the best memory of his childhood. Years later he went out to a little town that had a tienda and purchased a little golden rectangular thing that he thought was chocolate, but it turned out that it was a "cubo maggi" (concentrate bouillon paste) that was so salty....This was Thanksgiving day in the US and I thank Jeff for having eaten his tuna spaghetti (he hates tuna!) and for all the high happy spirits of the team! </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9EBSW8Z_B2uZenyttCNzJk0tu7wCOUn84ImJz7k_DNqWl9WVpeuWKy5qwg5RcmL8RLPZ4Y8fEInOdcVwTFvl5VNUv_dV7oSv4uI3JuSYLYi55a58KDypOcmhBejhLEb-LU1Q4T-P-xo/s1600/IMG_0168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9EBSW8Z_B2uZenyttCNzJk0tu7wCOUn84ImJz7k_DNqWl9WVpeuWKy5qwg5RcmL8RLPZ4Y8fEInOdcVwTFvl5VNUv_dV7oSv4uI3JuSYLYi55a58KDypOcmhBejhLEb-LU1Q4T-P-xo/s320/IMG_0168.JPG" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCEGADLAASb6QQwbP9wGfOJz6pkm3Ve03MjKN_wp3kTEautnJ66XA5t_f0iZXTKE4Y3PcEHa6uzeuN8owwjayQVqdxv2GJSaQUlXFjejoRTH-Wn9J6w8Vp5di60wook3quox7fEqRHpA/s1600/IMG_0177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjCEGADLAASb6QQwbP9wGfOJz6pkm3Ve03MjKN_wp3kTEautnJ66XA5t_f0iZXTKE4Y3PcEHa6uzeuN8owwjayQVqdxv2GJSaQUlXFjejoRTH-Wn9J6w8Vp5di60wook3quox7fEqRHpA/s320/IMG_0177.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Sleeping in that house was also incredible, the wind blows so hard that you really feel that you are going to fly away.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMVH-EnT-SAocO_vu2JkuV7Ox9yu5Mi53WonsdmF_z7B-_OPe28MQeRmfGWb_WgE0nMuqw6xY2-AS2DnoSVnR9A-TmY9D39FHXZLEdwOyNC7kXaMAK0o4RbQAgFNjcYrmZHRdsi3bP58/s1600/IMG_0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMVH-EnT-SAocO_vu2JkuV7Ox9yu5Mi53WonsdmF_z7B-_OPe28MQeRmfGWb_WgE0nMuqw6xY2-AS2DnoSVnR9A-TmY9D39FHXZLEdwOyNC7kXaMAK0o4RbQAgFNjcYrmZHRdsi3bP58/s320/IMG_0220.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7eejXbIwZsETvPZcYBqIKKhFlC0wBdC3nOnQAvdZ1NpueboIUd6MudIVjbDoeX1UgJy1BJNieG1Z2Z05f6U5oL-atz3Ydz5-1-oeO7Xa0pOZu4Y-0mmg8dnMvgACQDIDN70_wDSkgmU/s1600/IMG_0223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7eejXbIwZsETvPZcYBqIKKhFlC0wBdC3nOnQAvdZ1NpueboIUd6MudIVjbDoeX1UgJy1BJNieG1Z2Z05f6U5oL-atz3Ydz5-1-oeO7Xa0pOZu4Y-0mmg8dnMvgACQDIDN70_wDSkgmU/s320/IMG_0223.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
For your delight and entretainmet a picture of <i>Suarezia. </i>This forest had also <i>Octomerias </i>and <i>Myoxanthus</i>!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Regarding <i>Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes</i> and making this story short, as embarrassing as this may be...<i>Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes</i> won again 2-0, we walked and walked and walked and we could not find this species. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_583021253" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhPANymbqOOHIArQIHJ2mAM_mJTEb4h_utEkN98E3N4v_sTmqBL9W6sxMIreqGee6LA3k9fAWf9smd_pwiH3G0ZtER9TSVKlA8S3yLF1BCHA3t33aQiz93cb8Rmn1JKlmyPgkEHB-D95k/s320/DSCN3273.JPG" width="240" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Us taking a break...I am too embarrassed to say that we should quit the search because the altitude is not the right one anymore...therefore my strange look. But I did not torture the crew anymore and we started our return...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Before I forget....</b>Jeff and I treated the guys with a great meal at our return and we went to this restaurant that has three sloths that go around the restaurant. Alex had taken me there after we got lost and I promised myself that I was going to do it again when I return to look for this plant. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3U3URJBbOwVRT2cEmGTasd2ArkqohToprJGODuF3_Hi8AvdPFqvazppF0oi-me7pHBNLwf4cb9SkfxY1qVp_8YLgkrGDYk9DybnbaTDo9bJ0nnzItpHTuUcjh1bslngNFhdHLeZrZ5Y/s1600/DSCN3288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3U3URJBbOwVRT2cEmGTasd2ArkqohToprJGODuF3_Hi8AvdPFqvazppF0oi-me7pHBNLwf4cb9SkfxY1qVp_8YLgkrGDYk9DybnbaTDo9bJ0nnzItpHTuUcjh1bslngNFhdHLeZrZ5Y/s320/DSCN3288.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-71692740056642650042012-03-26T20:45:00.000-07:002012-03-30T14:33:12.458-07:00Prelude to Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes, S. merinoi, S. parviflorum and outgroupsThe week before Christmas 2009, Alex Hirtz (a famous orchid explorer and a good friend) and I went in the search of <i>Scaphosepalum pleurothallodes</i> in the forests close to the Jatunyacu Delta. These forests are extraordinaire but very different from the montane forests that I normally work at.<br />
<br />
This species is tiny and it has given me the biggest headaches of my professional life. On that field trip Alex and I separated, got lost and had to sleep in the forest until the next day. As scary as this may sound it was a very humbling experience that I will treasure for ever. It rained so hard that I could not see a thing, I could not hear more than the storm on the forests so I decide to sit down, give up for the day and just think about the important things of life (that at some points included a prosiutto sandwich that I have left in the car).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqcAvCqeb-YxZ_6fEJO2fXDuzPtwUyErn04R3CYESEYgjxEXqZISd-sOUoGRwV967FSpVxKO8SiOQLROXPM1W26vQ_R27MYFJVgZD9WkqjgBR846buPbPKRIDKxNyXA_bm1jAGfPsdbQ/s1600/jaguar2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqcAvCqeb-YxZ_6fEJO2fXDuzPtwUyErn04R3CYESEYgjxEXqZISd-sOUoGRwV967FSpVxKO8SiOQLROXPM1W26vQ_R27MYFJVgZD9WkqjgBR846buPbPKRIDKxNyXA_bm1jAGfPsdbQ/s400/jaguar2.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>The Legend</b></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMw3nnBlPyebeD4luKa962maSHJKaF-AtmXCHQabt8jpdQOubuE1S5ui_eRvijRPEw9iNYxXtxaa72w__xpriHmwABBy88lNuUsqontI9vFK3T4c32kJNfFIF5fdzK8BjYAtVUgpTFBbc/s1600/Jaguar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;">Years later, (you will need to read the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6844947979079807526#editor/target=post;postID=5614498572914368560" target="_blank">blogs of my return to this locality</a>) the kichwa friends that came with me to the field where terrified that I have slept alone in the jungle, since the "Lord of the Jungle"normally comes in the form of one of your friends and takes lost women into the center of the jungle pretending he is helping them out. Afterwardsthey turn into jaguars and women find themselves with jaguars, boas, tucans and other creatures. </span>Women who experience the "heart of the jungle"should never talk about the creatures that she sees otherwise the spirits will punish her. I think that I was just thinking about the chapters of my dissertation, the collecting permits and the prosciutto sandwich, too blind to see this spirit....<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMw3nnBlPyebeD4luKa962maSHJKaF-AtmXCHQabt8jpdQOubuE1S5ui_eRvijRPEw9iNYxXtxaa72w__xpriHmwABBy88lNuUsqontI9vFK3T4c32kJNfFIF5fdzK8BjYAtVUgpTFBbc/s1600/Jaguar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMw3nnBlPyebeD4luKa962maSHJKaF-AtmXCHQabt8jpdQOubuE1S5ui_eRvijRPEw9iNYxXtxaa72w__xpriHmwABBy88lNuUsqontI9vFK3T4c32kJNfFIF5fdzK8BjYAtVUgpTFBbc/s400/Jaguar1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
These incredible pictures of the "Lord of the Jungle" were taken by my good friend Santiago Espinosa. He is one of the most remarkable field biologists that I know and he has an incredible Doctoral project on jaguars. I thank him for letting me use his pictures and please ask him for permission if you intend to use this images.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Conclusion of the trip:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
- A wet camera that passed to a better life (therefore no pictures for this story)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
- Alex had many stitches on his hands from grabbing some rough edged grass</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
-Four Kichwas found me almost at the end of the trail, close to the entrance to the forest at 11 am next morning. The kichwas were using a snail shell (caracola) to call me and I was calling them back by whistling (I am a pro at whistling and I owe that super power to Maria, the lady who has worked with my family since I have memory)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
-I had one million chiggers on my feet and waist, really sore legs and could hardly walk after I returned to Quito</div>Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-60354862215111703372012-03-26T20:05:00.003-07:002012-03-30T13:01:53.248-07:00Scaphosepalum antenniferum in CachacoWe continued the search for Scaphosepalum antenniferum. This time Lucho Mendoza came with us. Lucho and Beto Mendoza are sons of an earlier collaborator of Dr. Luer and Masdevallia mendozae is named after him. Nowadays Lucho manages his father greenhouse and we were super lucky to have him in our field trip and is very knowledgeable of the plants of the region. We went to Cachaco, stop in several points in Yangana and the Tapichalaca region. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPQlKrHu4vwiDLwDpudla9ko3zv1TWrt-OoRnMGLRqJPmRA0U97EyGHdUF2SOGZlGhVd_jWoQPsM8vBtoA3SR3-PrIr5d_iXx-lWG39l8kDpJTVVYL-2hSNoUA0bKgyuKLMS6Hegx8fs/s1600/DSCN0524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPQlKrHu4vwiDLwDpudla9ko3zv1TWrt-OoRnMGLRqJPmRA0U97EyGHdUF2SOGZlGhVd_jWoQPsM8vBtoA3SR3-PrIr5d_iXx-lWG39l8kDpJTVVYL-2hSNoUA0bKgyuKLMS6Hegx8fs/s320/DSCN0524.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
On our way to Yangana on the Quinara ruins, a very strange landscape dry landscape that changes in few kilometers to a very wet dry forest.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaoGRYp3-SDD0BpJHyvoxkS5tx2vF7cOV-U6Vd4TNfkDmWHXqkVOw93z6bkf-XWAutVCeIP6J_CrsrQss69jRXKJPeRqceWukWede6Is803TOrwirNPGDEy-9FWeP7JeV_pM9xQwNIJ0/s1600/IMG_9809.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaoGRYp3-SDD0BpJHyvoxkS5tx2vF7cOV-U6Vd4TNfkDmWHXqkVOw93z6bkf-XWAutVCeIP6J_CrsrQss69jRXKJPeRqceWukWede6Is803TOrwirNPGDEy-9FWeP7JeV_pM9xQwNIJ0/s320/IMG_9809.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6bu-26V47VyNP_VWaIqcrzbljGey7g4dMLHqft7YkDQkia_xpo1vs1BhOzs7_v_AwjMY3v1gHhn9uLc2N1Q7m4Qmv_TeVjSyHWyjNMgGTmJrsZW-Mvsdoyu5hg7_OeZEaayAbpbeDrQ/s320/DSCN0546.JPG" width="240" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o53oPYUxX9p90RotsyQA_lRQd6BYEaXvZvh1MaqxWAVHHN3J6Mq-L8ykF_3jRnimr6aQ2iCTTyGWBNDSp10lvlolG8GzlwjpAml0ba1g-vXjDMhArX8PNSMa2pqEbzdUq_zX78taJJE/s1600/IMG_9810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o53oPYUxX9p90RotsyQA_lRQd6BYEaXvZvh1MaqxWAVHHN3J6Mq-L8ykF_3jRnimr6aQ2iCTTyGWBNDSp10lvlolG8GzlwjpAml0ba1g-vXjDMhArX8PNSMa2pqEbzdUq_zX78taJJE/s320/IMG_9810.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
Carlos Naranjo and Lorena Riofrio helping me look for my plants. Jeff climbing to reach the surface to look at the forest.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
There is a famous locality "road to the Military Antenas in Numbala" where many species have been found. I was interested in finding the outrgroups of <i>Scaphosepalum</i> that were reported in this region, did not have pleurothallid luck but I really enjoyed this very different forest. This is a dwarf Cunnoniaceae, Ericaceae, bambu forest and Lucho knows the old trails that we followed because his ancestors used this way to go to the Amazon. You can still walk in this old trails that are pretty spectacular. We found Cyrtochilums with spikes many many meters long. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YwyNxN-0JAqSQ4mIaPXfIjOHmacRp8c0jFqPM7aQxju7uRHUkEtFMRCig9WVWHWZu8P5FGkDh1myPbLfAO3WXUnv8CufuLrawx8SI4Xg4X1uCRjZ4qVczrI9GlNiTi85tLS2pZUlQHA/s1600/DSCN0545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7YwyNxN-0JAqSQ4mIaPXfIjOHmacRp8c0jFqPM7aQxju7uRHUkEtFMRCig9WVWHWZu8P5FGkDh1myPbLfAO3WXUnv8CufuLrawx8SI4Xg4X1uCRjZ4qVczrI9GlNiTi85tLS2pZUlQHA/s320/DSCN0545.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Carlos and Jeff looking for orchids. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Nb5vMUhB-fL3927Cx9m6kRSDw3sJj8HXWOp_JIjyhOrE8N_mc0wm7GZirdMmnGgjHjDoi9XHqxvXFRf-xBOhwlDDtYpRrsuOWdaJ1N41i2VqVKUfs7od9YsMjYFTyFkP7CoaRIS8Hb4/s1600/DSCN0555.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Nb5vMUhB-fL3927Cx9m6kRSDw3sJj8HXWOp_JIjyhOrE8N_mc0wm7GZirdMmnGgjHjDoi9XHqxvXFRf-xBOhwlDDtYpRrsuOWdaJ1N41i2VqVKUfs7od9YsMjYFTyFkP7CoaRIS8Hb4/s320/DSCN0555.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The bed of the truck was a luxurious banquet considering that a day before we were driving for 14 hours eating toffee candies, potato chips and coke. I this field trip we were been fancy an getting tuna fish sandwich with pickles and mayo.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1tLi-B0YjHycFkgCKfJSpb8_VrQHNdM_gRTvMaS0aLUh7p9urIalfUhDmaBudMT0qjVPeisJq0ns1Z8ZO_1c_eWcwL-K7nH0HiPROa2tteZ8JD1nEu1fJOHMWdVBa2cShbnwlt4hXcQ/s1600/IMG_4152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1tLi-B0YjHycFkgCKfJSpb8_VrQHNdM_gRTvMaS0aLUh7p9urIalfUhDmaBudMT0qjVPeisJq0ns1Z8ZO_1c_eWcwL-K7nH0HiPROa2tteZ8JD1nEu1fJOHMWdVBa2cShbnwlt4hXcQ/s320/IMG_4152.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkE-uC_8j8aEoEgHlPiDSakUSBCXpPbIrN6o9JsnXYlLp6768-7c_vMJD3r2hwqcg5t6bEc-6DmSXtuHnkWeN2ssOZ2cJyKffTWVJgPiQom4mW0fotTkAMxoQGGgFh21zb_HwOceqnP8/s1600/IMG_4145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkE-uC_8j8aEoEgHlPiDSakUSBCXpPbIrN6o9JsnXYlLp6768-7c_vMJD3r2hwqcg5t6bEc-6DmSXtuHnkWeN2ssOZ2cJyKffTWVJgPiQom4mW0fotTkAMxoQGGgFh21zb_HwOceqnP8/s320/IMG_4145.jpg" width="213" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We did not find populations of<i> Scaphosepalum antenniferum</i> in
this fieldtrip even though this species was reported there,
nevertheless, a friend of mine gave me some pictures from plants he
found in a private forest in the Tapichalaca area. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Before I forget...</b>.This is why it is better to be out of the lab</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQUpHRXVBWt3wnjhUy6lCIY8Zr9HJBoqoctaEcsJ92-STDbj7v3iqHhqRUZgjkMjwv8EQXyk4WpSFqCnQF3ZSgFLsxPcP5ZUkK3Gy3LdW0RC0tnmVm_7oZchnG_Gb-8Qda2MzCfoapP8/s1600/IMG_9819.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQUpHRXVBWt3wnjhUy6lCIY8Zr9HJBoqoctaEcsJ92-STDbj7v3iqHhqRUZgjkMjwv8EQXyk4WpSFqCnQF3ZSgFLsxPcP5ZUkK3Gy3LdW0RC0tnmVm_7oZchnG_Gb-8Qda2MzCfoapP8/s320/IMG_9819.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div>Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-90942684558552090562012-03-25T22:57:00.001-07:002012-03-30T13:01:04.515-07:00Scaphosepalum dalstroemii: Southern EcuadorThis time I was after <i>Scaphosepalum dalstroemii</i>. Stig Dalstrom, who discovered this species, is a good friend of mine and I had the pleasure to share my office with Stig for almost two years. He always teased me and now that we don't share the office it seems that he still teases me. Where ever I go there is a species named after him, just to let me know that he was there before. <br />
<i>Scaphosepalum dalstroemii, "</i>his<i>" </i>species, grows in one the southernmost point of Ecuador. It is soooo far south that our GPS kept on indicating that we were in Peru.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIL4g8ITjYP6zVZK1mo9wB2C5CUXW9C55EBYYcmaSf1Zb0fxMaV3LloQ8ymM9uj6F3HnU3UiM2Iro_2dB9L45VOQMeB75-6ihOslA_Hh6OHzRPKDanWNdKGT32SevXTjY9AebSHO1JHM/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIL4g8ITjYP6zVZK1mo9wB2C5CUXW9C55EBYYcmaSf1Zb0fxMaV3LloQ8ymM9uj6F3HnU3UiM2Iro_2dB9L45VOQMeB75-6ihOslA_Hh6OHzRPKDanWNdKGT32SevXTjY9AebSHO1JHM/s320/050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We went to Loja and had the collaboration of the most wonderful people at the Technical University of Loja (UTPL). This region of the Andes is completely different than the central and northern regions of Ecuador, the topography is different and even though the mountains are lower, the bitter cold of the highlands of the north is present if not worst in this region.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYg_Gt7a7zc6XyArVAc0nxx5gPlhzVpnXBrfrS_bUwBbzqf-ZmqyGOnrtKUpl6givYodC17pXl3O7UN_RcVUi5K9VHQeWr3wwkXd4revB5bOS-J-j14ioRPRJ3zaJOHtd0CV4bUf4CAQ/s1600/091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYg_Gt7a7zc6XyArVAc0nxx5gPlhzVpnXBrfrS_bUwBbzqf-ZmqyGOnrtKUpl6givYodC17pXl3O7UN_RcVUi5K9VHQeWr3wwkXd4revB5bOS-J-j14ioRPRJ3zaJOHtd0CV4bUf4CAQ/s320/091.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We found a <i>Fernandezia</i> in the dwarf forest on the pass of Loja-Zamora road, Carlos Naranjo, Beto Mendoza and Lorena Riofrio, my collaborators from UTPL, Loja. Not a lot of Pleurothallids since the draught has affected this region for years.<br />
<br />
We went all the way down to Zamora, a beautiful little Amazonian town in less than an hour, botanizing, looking for orchids and found some incredible populations of Phragmipediums. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLQh7NidVFyVSOrCdLtSEZUa3QoIK3GoxlWcIxwXoS8ZhG6iZBelvNUIVvtwSxzZv9DMPMEiXRHhMjIJ0MwZvY2RPeqezC7zr2HeOHbdL-q1ombBAEYY1AvKKs58AhwxKXzjTB7kzygg/s1600/163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLQh7NidVFyVSOrCdLtSEZUa3QoIK3GoxlWcIxwXoS8ZhG6iZBelvNUIVvtwSxzZv9DMPMEiXRHhMjIJ0MwZvY2RPeqezC7zr2HeOHbdL-q1ombBAEYY1AvKKs58AhwxKXzjTB7kzygg/s320/163.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
We continued our trip in the search for <i>Scaphosepalum dalstroemii </i>and we stopped in Amaluza to sleep overnight and continue the next day to Jimbura, the type locality of this species. The most important lesson of that night is: Don't stay in a hotel next to the rooster fight arena. You will not be able to sleep.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-w1r8UgZQ-w8x5tIUjBnPNkDa9Yce_y1FOy_kb5IAJYOkGHSl8Dq2LqbZNf68jAqzcU64Nmgn35_BEbfGQGz72wv05_horP9D-y1a3tTFgg7ug5iKaKXMs_DNNW_Mk2rnqD-GiesDefg/s1600/IMG_9656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-w1r8UgZQ-w8x5tIUjBnPNkDa9Yce_y1FOy_kb5IAJYOkGHSl8Dq2LqbZNf68jAqzcU64Nmgn35_BEbfGQGz72wv05_horP9D-y1a3tTFgg7ug5iKaKXMs_DNNW_Mk2rnqD-GiesDefg/s320/IMG_9656.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Back to business:<br />
<br />
This is where <i>Scaphosepalum dalstroemii</i> lives, it is truly sublime and in a way I am happy that is difficult to get to otherwise it will be colonized and destroyed. There is some evidence of fire in the area, a common practice in the highlands, but the populations of this little <i>Scaphosepalum</i> are in good shape. This species is not common in the market, and if you stay tuned to my publications you will know why. I cannot spoil the surprise!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTBt3NnLz644BbHMN8iDgNP13yo85r-eYJJV6ymXkmK0D1LaCu6sdmyh6aTmui2Sdlmy9FG7xi3Gh-JflSbjsTlaP91hNiFy3Zc5Z0KxEdKQtum8h234gT2S4R2B6gX47FDR2-wo65bM/s1600/IMG_9690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTBt3NnLz644BbHMN8iDgNP13yo85r-eYJJV6ymXkmK0D1LaCu6sdmyh6aTmui2Sdlmy9FG7xi3Gh-JflSbjsTlaP91hNiFy3Zc5Z0KxEdKQtum8h234gT2S4R2B6gX47FDR2-wo65bM/s320/IMG_9690.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjCIL3HPHNijcUjIqybjmMWlVYpzcWCGVJGf691LqPlYs5VF7wEQPzJ-Ar_TZi8qnkenavKr-DOiChD0DjPTmg5plWfjE7ykhZTd9RYuupbebo3rbPVu3cyC0RHp8_M-09EzicWGv618/s1600/IMG_9666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQjCIL3HPHNijcUjIqybjmMWlVYpzcWCGVJGf691LqPlYs5VF7wEQPzJ-Ar_TZi8qnkenavKr-DOiChD0DjPTmg5plWfjE7ykhZTd9RYuupbebo3rbPVu3cyC0RHp8_M-09EzicWGv618/s320/IMG_9666.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As evidence of how sublime and cold this place is I am adding some pictures of for example a stairway to....heaven? And the Lorenas (Riofrio and Endara) trying not to freeze.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXLyIwOi7etu-3yc1bn5dV0xYKXwwedxSGuxL-BiBdXrP_aEu8CwKkd8Kh97a85RMV9YRrNWlUuTLzN2eAI_ljvDKifr-JzM_GHWCnnXo6lea8IM5XCMTBzVOQWP7HMZufPy9vxhAs0M/s1600/IMG_9738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAXLyIwOi7etu-3yc1bn5dV0xYKXwwedxSGuxL-BiBdXrP_aEu8CwKkd8Kh97a85RMV9YRrNWlUuTLzN2eAI_ljvDKifr-JzM_GHWCnnXo6lea8IM5XCMTBzVOQWP7HMZufPy9vxhAs0M/s320/IMG_9738.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDmwLXHPL0M9ty_3xnk5ZPhDhEVcf60Cox7I-vmOiERBubPz-JAQBouyCotmIuJVtMTNq6nCDpoHVuu8N-NjbUgsgs362sLjwnCt-fn7SwZ9kJt-EAMcHSP67x_9XXBLzvRrOk8L9J_0/s1600/133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDmwLXHPL0M9ty_3xnk5ZPhDhEVcf60Cox7I-vmOiERBubPz-JAQBouyCotmIuJVtMTNq6nCDpoHVuu8N-NjbUgsgs362sLjwnCt-fn7SwZ9kJt-EAMcHSP67x_9XXBLzvRrOk8L9J_0/s320/133.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Now, the roads....a comment on the roads....Ecuador has some incredible highways, better than other neighboring countries and I am really proud to be Ecuadorian for this reason BUT this one has to be the exception. The road Jimbura to Zumba might look in the map like eight miles but it is actually 12 hours of driving (you can cross Ecuador in 13 hours if you use the Panamerican highway) but this road is so far south that the government forgot about it. We saw the most beautiful southern Ecuadorian forests like for example this patch of endangered palms<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMEYb38_1kYk_Kh9xOgOG0-pOBHMv7goAkBuIcDKmOv4D5drwZ15_DVvt34BBlyEWpGu8XYjCxIHMyMyQUQsxIwMWpSQdw-ipqJ2d1Z5FDyWhFlvnV74P85rHQG8u62JfXuAteEk1HvM/s1600/IMG_9782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMEYb38_1kYk_Kh9xOgOG0-pOBHMv7goAkBuIcDKmOv4D5drwZ15_DVvt34BBlyEWpGu8XYjCxIHMyMyQUQsxIwMWpSQdw-ipqJ2d1Z5FDyWhFlvnV74P85rHQG8u62JfXuAteEk1HvM/s320/IMG_9782.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgED-xb6v3n67zbydziRmTtod5FOeMw_yS8x7Fx8X6VEZpmGN-mceHI2vauKu3siL8SDUatLcNTADGE9dA3d9JbCHyPeo3srTGI-BNdde_YxOnl9_yGLQusxLQdGq0826cZ5nMGcvquyHM/s1600/185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgED-xb6v3n67zbydziRmTtod5FOeMw_yS8x7Fx8X6VEZpmGN-mceHI2vauKu3siL8SDUatLcNTADGE9dA3d9JbCHyPeo3srTGI-BNdde_YxOnl9_yGLQusxLQdGq0826cZ5nMGcvquyHM/s320/185.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
but we almost crashed three buses, many rocks, ran over cattle, cross a river that we could feel the water rumbling underneath our truck and see the water above our windows. I am used to bad road but this "summer" road is nothing like anything I have been before.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
For your delight, a movie of one of our almost crashes against a rock at the end of a hill on a muddy road (I hope our parents not reading this part...)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwRpbMLQvxL-7Y0JclRqMhxYN5b79iBeMZHgUVCLdj-YAwlXH5a-v1QBV9fNIALB7Axejz72FQ2J6VW-siq5g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
This part of the trip ended with a short and scary interaction with some narcos in Vilcabamba, the Longevity Valley where people get to live until they are 120 years old and where a lot of retired people are moving to enjoy the benefits of this dry and healthy valley that is no longer peaceful and sleepy as it used to be when I was a kid.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>Before I forget.... </b>So in retrospect now the Saints in trucks and buses have a lot more meaning, notice that this Divino Nino (Divine Baby) has lightning on the sides, just to keep him awake!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvCLJa8YkaOBOFHINQ8XQ-UTpBLYJYI9FadHpdorhyphenhyphen0LWFrL5zHpSQSnOuCcKGL2QjKoOJkR_XSZQirVY_9WNBOzR1enQzbAC0RhHvMO4U5yA8bj3IpX1dE-Me16WXdK8bbc2N40wqPA/s1600/197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvCLJa8YkaOBOFHINQ8XQ-UTpBLYJYI9FadHpdorhyphenhyphen0LWFrL5zHpSQSnOuCcKGL2QjKoOJkR_XSZQirVY_9WNBOzR1enQzbAC0RhHvMO4U5yA8bj3IpX1dE-Me16WXdK8bbc2N40wqPA/s320/197.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6844947979079807526.post-69408669001299980192012-03-25T20:36:00.000-07:002012-03-25T23:20:05.026-07:00Scaphosepalum a galore! Los Cedros, Imbabura, Northwestern EcuadorLos Cedros is a very special place to me. It is located in Northwestern Ecuador, is part of the Toisan mountain range. I made my undergraduate research on this incredible forest. When I started going there (1997) Los Cedros was nothing like it is now. We had to walk all the way in the waist deep mud for eight hours to reach the wonderful station and the most incredible forest. I am not exaggerating!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMw8yB8rbw895NCEFCNGDIlVYuOr0UDlPE08uHWzy8i-JIBZA1Ha7c6hbFbLm2Mn4wUWwdmNo8GQUusa6cYmDre02cuRktXHiO0k_BhwaM-mZGI1HXJveK6a8g8qkv19LIQRSic0Z66i8/s1600/DSCN8032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMw8yB8rbw895NCEFCNGDIlVYuOr0UDlPE08uHWzy8i-JIBZA1Ha7c6hbFbLm2Mn4wUWwdmNo8GQUusa6cYmDre02cuRktXHiO0k_BhwaM-mZGI1HXJveK6a8g8qkv19LIQRSic0Z66i8/s320/DSCN8032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Montane cloud forest of Los Cedros, Imbabura, Ecuador</div>
<br />
Draculas, the orchids that I used to work with, flower primarily in the super rainy season. We use to walk from Saguangal and our base there was Don Pepe's farm. After all these years the logistics changed an now you can enter through El Chontal and it will save you half of the miserable mud trail, but no worries, it will make your soul and legs stronger, you will experience it anyways! Back in the days there was only Flora a beautiful white mule that has been retired from business and probably now in another dimension. Last time I saw her she was lying on the sun and enjoying her retirement next to the banana field. Now four perky mules carry most of the lucky researchers.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMpme8cZJ99V0QeAcAoEYbOoSzgq9TOqgc-vypQKd5F00rH2qqqEayRDG6yHbpC4_QZ8CrCg1TQeTpHY7TwH-bdpZw6VKYtpL7EKVE0FdcrhyFbrOrPoEdEls8T_RYX9vX8AiIMytAa8/s1600/DSCN8355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPMpme8cZJ99V0QeAcAoEYbOoSzgq9TOqgc-vypQKd5F00rH2qqqEayRDG6yHbpC4_QZ8CrCg1TQeTpHY7TwH-bdpZw6VKYtpL7EKVE0FdcrhyFbrOrPoEdEls8T_RYX9vX8AiIMytAa8/s320/DSCN8355.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Trail from El Chontal to Magdalena Alto: muddy</div>
Back to business....<br />
In 2008 we visited Los Cedros again so I can collect <i>Scaphosepalum digitale</i>, <i>S. dodsonii, S. ophidion</i> and <i>Scaphosepalum beluosum</i>. You know that you start to get closer to the station when you start to find these creatures.<br />
<br />
<i>Scaphosepalum digitale</i> and <i>S. dodsonii</i> often live in the same trees and some times in the same branches. <i>Scaphosepalum beluosum</i> is also very common and I have seen some of the most incredible plants of this species with pending inflorescences that reach half a meter in size. Los Cedros has the dark purple form of <i>S. beluosum</i> and the yellow almost white form living right next to each other and of course the common form that is yellow with purple spots.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVS1ICRgQZe1dA3KGgt4FgkbFzrfbdaVWTR7gYkOLea6DuqhJUOyRYj0o8jCKNK6evHtX8cI-hb4OnyHxjsvMhMEJDaIy6cVnBCQU8V9zDDmYi5QCtmxudyQXkxL-Y46n61u_pxkK6K2I/s1600/DSCN8140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVS1ICRgQZe1dA3KGgt4FgkbFzrfbdaVWTR7gYkOLea6DuqhJUOyRYj0o8jCKNK6evHtX8cI-hb4OnyHxjsvMhMEJDaIy6cVnBCQU8V9zDDmYi5QCtmxudyQXkxL-Y46n61u_pxkK6K2I/s320/DSCN8140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This is the xanthine form of <i>Scaphosepalum beluosum</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
I studied the pollination biology of the species in Los Cedros but the flies that visit them are extremely rare and really...lets say..."static".</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqUg1EeNq0GjHvFJG2zDNmLUq3Gb7XD1F9mLw7aRN1kaxpP7uEC9n6Q_yxxRLqlKTzd_0YhlMO1gjCk7cke6vunToshqWZCKKPyt2FG9BN-hkqoLmVPB8bWSdlZN85S5js3HxGVNkI74/s1600/Scaphosepalum+dodsonii+LE+w+flyedi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqUg1EeNq0GjHvFJG2zDNmLUq3Gb7XD1F9mLw7aRN1kaxpP7uEC9n6Q_yxxRLqlKTzd_0YhlMO1gjCk7cke6vunToshqWZCKKPyt2FG9BN-hkqoLmVPB8bWSdlZN85S5js3HxGVNkI74/s1600/Scaphosepalum+dodsonii+LE+w+flyedi.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scaphosepalum dodsonii</i> is been visited</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Stig Dalstrom found <i>Scaphosepalum decorum</i> in Los Cedros and after all these visits and despite of been one of the largests Scaphosepalums I have never seen it there. Lucky Stig, he is always ahead of me!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In Los Cedros I am super thankful to Jose, the administrator of the Reserve, and also to Martin Obando who was the most patient field assistant I have ever had, especially when the flies were not doing what they should - pollinate. I trained Martin to be an orchid and plant guide and I heard last time that he is now working as a para-biologist working with projects in the Choco forests of Ecuador. I am really proud of Martin who chose to work as a parabiologist instead of cutting forests. It has been my pleasure to work with Martin since he brought a lot of perspective to my life the when I just cared for flies and orchids!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtq-_MWNzEIZqPNQpgMaxwOjQtnl5u78-VpfYHd46xeFS568PgZpcIy6adrHpF4bybzGMMdZ1n8azhLEMk3TjF4maxQJe-ms5wdM0dRoI8c59aAQbab6r-gXYV7ShtLqiSgkCjrFVqjU/s1600/DSCN7990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqtq-_MWNzEIZqPNQpgMaxwOjQtnl5u78-VpfYHd46xeFS568PgZpcIy6adrHpF4bybzGMMdZ1n8azhLEMk3TjF4maxQJe-ms5wdM0dRoI8c59aAQbab6r-gXYV7ShtLqiSgkCjrFVqjU/s320/DSCN7990.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTTn8fZtH8fEv_vTm6upeajXVrHNxlKUvYSwCRfdT1VxMzcJ06N_Hc94x4JRW-peN_TOJSfaD0Ak8TGm9DQIkadaOw1XbBMa4l7impWMctBs2G3gBv2-fCW2dagFNJMWV3kB55osxZ_w/s1600/DSCN8178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTTn8fZtH8fEv_vTm6upeajXVrHNxlKUvYSwCRfdT1VxMzcJ06N_Hc94x4JRW-peN_TOJSfaD0Ak8TGm9DQIkadaOw1XbBMa4l7impWMctBs2G3gBv2-fCW2dagFNJMWV3kB55osxZ_w/s320/DSCN8178.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here Martin, Angel and Danilo that had helped me at different times of my field work. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Danilo (right) draws plants that he finds along the reserve, he uses an old notebook leftover from school and a pen. He has copied most of Dr. Carl Luer illustrations to learn how to draw and I am amazed by his skills. I took this picture and show it to Dr. Luer so he can see how far his work goes and how important it is for younger generations. </div>
<br />Lorena Endara A.http://www.blogger.com/profile/06594386303559451210noreply@blogger.com0