Orchids!

Ecuador is one of the most species-rich and biologically-diverse countries in the world, owing in part to its amazing variety of landscapes, terrain, and microclimates, from coastal ecosystems to mountain habitat to rainforest canopies. I love it so.

I was feeling a bit down that Monday morning -- first week blues. At least one of my classmates -- another Amy even! -- had had the same problem. Anxious, unhappy, wondering what I was doing. But thankfully my personality doesn't allow me to dwell on that, but instead causes me to find something interesting and exciting, of which there is almost always a multitude of choices. Vinicio sent me across the street for lunch to have chaúlafan, which is Ecuadorian-Chinese. Sadly, it was a lot like fried rice, which I don't much care for. But the wonton soup, complete with bok choy, wonderful broth, and shrimp, beef, pork, and chicken in addition to the wontons, was wonderful.

So imagine my pleasure when I found out after lunch that my first fieldtrip of the week would be to the Botanic Garden! Marialisa was taking care of some things for her school this week, so the instructors at my school were trading off excursions. For this trip, Daniela and her boyfriend Diego came with me. We had fun.

The gardens were amazing and we had a wonderful young man as our guide. Since it was just us, he could adjust his talk for our interests, adjust his speech for my learning, and answer any questions I wanted to pose. Since this is an area of interest for me, and since I have some of this vocabulary, it was much easier. I think he also really enjoyed talking with someone who knew something about plants and really enjoyed the gardens. Everyone was super patient as of course, I wanted to write it all down and take photos and everything. It was a wonderful afternoon!

Let's see how much I can decipher of my notes.....

In short, el jardín botánico works to highlight the flora of Ecuador's many diverse regions, in its modest space in the center of the city. There's the humedal (water ecosystems), the bosque nublado (cloud forests), and the páramo (high plains). They also cover special types of plants unique and/or well-known to Ecuador, such as orchids and carnivorous plants.

Humedal regions are know for water lilies, lagoons, reeds -- the plants you would expect.


This should look familiar to many, a cartucho, or lily.

The bosque nublado, or cloud forest, is the most diverse. These are found throughout Ecuador, in the sierra, on the coast, in the Amazon. So the species differ a bit too, depending on the climate. One of the most common trees in this ecosystem is the palm, which is used for a wide variety of materials, from food and oil to wood, to Palm Sunday, all of which makes these trees in danger of extinction. In fact, the forests in Ecuador in general face a tremendous risk of extinction due to deforestation. Current estimates predict that they will all be gone by 2050 if the current rate of deforestation continues. That's a huge carbon-offset issue, but that's probably a different blog post....


These trees are endemic to Ecuador. The top is the pumamaqui, whose wood is commonly used for spoons and, I think, drums. At least, that's what my notes seems to say! (Yes, my notes are all in Spanish, so who knows?) Below is the podocarpus, the giant of the cloud forest. It is coniferous, like a pine, and is the only conifer native to Ecuador. Its wood is very resistant, so it's used frequently for building, especially churches.



This mural was painted by local students and shows the cloud forest.


This is a faro chino, or chinese lamp. Pretty!

The páramo is the most important ecosystem, because of its ability to absorb and retain. Its characterized by a plant that I've written down as cucharilla, which means tablespoon, so I'm not at all sure that I have that right! Or maybe it's sigze.... But it's used in housing, for insulation, and I saw a great deal of it over the weekend on the side of the mountain when we went up the Teleférico. It's also important habitat for animals.




There were also some amazing ferns. I love ferns and cycads, plants that have survived since the days of the dinosaurs. So incredible to think about!


No idea, but it's pretty! Below is oreja de conejo (rabbit ear), and it's amazingly soft!!



This one's called velo de novia, or fiancé's veil. It has a lovely scent.

We then moved into the desert section. I find desert plants truly amazing. Their physiognomy and adaptations to such an environment are just wonderful. They're definitely a big reason for my fascination with the American southwest....


Cáctus have the same uses everywhere, including food. Below, I think, is a crasula from Madagascar.



The agave plants in Ecuador stun me. They are so huge! Most people, if they know agave, know it as the plant from which tequila comes. They only bloom once in their lives.

Then, we arrived at the orchid houses.

Ecuador is home to more than 4,060 types of orchids (orchídeas). They didn't have them all in the garden, but that was hardly important because they did have TWO big orchid houses, one for temperate orchids and one for Amazonian orchids. Woohoo!


This is a bailarina (ballerina) orchid. It was so delicate.


In the Amazon orchid house, it's much warmer and more humid. This orchid is native to Ecuador. Our guide called it licaster. Below is a type of vanda.


We also saw vanilla plants (not blooming - but yes, they are orchids too) and some phragmites that were very similar to my little phrag here in Washington.


Near the exit, we saw this amazing bromeliad -- a barber de viejo, or old man's beard. Perfect name, isn't it?!

Next up, the house for the carnivorous plants! These I just find fascinating. The room was incredibly humid, and my camera lens kept fogging over. Most of the plants were pitcher plants (trampas). They eat insects, luring them in with perfumes. Then the top hinge drops, closing the opening and trapping the insect, which is then dissolved by a very strong acid. So cool!


Two different types of trampas. The one below is the largest in the garden, but nowhere near the largest that exists.


We also saw lavender -- always a favorite! -- and some wild roses. Sadly, the Vivarium (reptile house) was closed on Mondays, but that was fine -- my good mood was restored and I was happy to be where I was.

Upon returning to the school, Vinicio ran me through the travel week options (7!) that the school offered. That's the next blog....