Monday, February 2, 2015

Cranichis muscosa Sw. 1788, in the Rio Abajo forest in Puerto Rico




I found this plant in the roadside during one of my hikes in the Rio Abajo forest, Puerto Rico.  This plant can be found in the roadsides in certain parts of the Yunque forest, in the east of the island, where I had photographed it previously but this is the first time I have seen it in the Rio Abajo forest.   The plant itself is inconspicuous out of the blooming season.

Because the flowers are oriented with the lip uppermost the green marking of the lip are not easily noticeable.  I found only three plants near a patch of Ponthieva racemosa.   The plants were growing in a small stretch of roadside that for some reason has not been overrun by exotic invasive plants.  

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