Roxi Steele

Plant Biology Graduate Program

University of Texas at Austin

roxisteele@msn.com

 

"Molecular Systematics and Taxonomic Revision of Neotropical Psiguria (Cucurbitaceae)"

(to be completed in 2009 - this year!!)

Return to Roxi's home page  - Last updated 28 March 2009

 

Photographs of Psiguria in the UT greenhouses, photos from my plant-collecting trip to Costa Rica (2005), and a few photos from my trip in 2003

 

Eduardo Malavassi, a secondary school teacher in San Isidro de Coronado, 10 Km NE of San José, graciously corrected my label on the ceremonial rock of Toyopán. Thanks so much! (02/2009)

Thanks to Piero Protti, I have filled in a few more of the "unknown" plant names (09/2005)

Michael Nee provided me with some additional species determinations (6/2008) - Thanks!

Psiguria triphylla - leaf (UT greenhouse) Psiguria triphylla - flower (UT greenhouse)

Roxi preparing Psiguria warscewiczii for the dryer at UT

Caligo sp. - Owl Butterfly - when the wings are apart, it looks like an owl face (Museo Nacional de Costa Rica) Caligo sp. - Owl Butterfly larvae (Museo Nacional de Costa Rica)

the only Psiguria triphylla that I found in Costa Rica (no flowers)

Orchidaceae, probably Sobralia unknown vine with interesting aerial roots shown at right detail of the aerial roots attaching to the post
Anhinga sp. - Snake Bird - sunning by the river Spider Monkey watching the humans the Spider Monkey takes a leap
Psiguria warscewiczii - the first species I found in Costa Rica and the only one with flowers Psiguria warscewiczii - inflorescence with flower buds Psiguria warscewiczii - typical leaf
Slaty-sided Hawk Ctenosaur Peccary
mama Sloth descending to the forest floor for her weekly bathroom break students photographing the Sloths mama Sloth with baby
inflorescence of Gurania costaricensis - a sister species of Psiguria Gurania costaricensis - (AKA G. coccinea) - leaf Gurania costaricensis - individual flower
that's me in front of a large rainforest tree fossilized sea shell fossilized sea shell
vine in the Apocynaceae family (det. by Michael Nee) milky sap individual flower
Screech Owl babies Atta sp. - Leaf-cutter ants Atta sp. - Leaf-cutter ants
Elateriopsis sp. from Costa Rica -female flowers Elateriopsis sp. from Costa Rica - leaf Elateriopsis sp. from Costa Rica - fruit

Datura sp. - grows like trees in Costa Rica in several colors (here pink)

Datura sp. - white

by a creek in Costa Rica
Rocio and I at Monumento Nacional Guayabo in Costa Rica (this is where I found the P. triphylla) Guayaba (Guava) fruits from which they make the delicious Guayabitas (chocolate-covered guava jelly . . . yum!) Pineapple farm
Psiguria umbrosa (UT greenhouse) - flower P. umbrosa - leaves - I hope to find this species on another trip to Central America P. umbrosa - inflorescence
Hog-nose Viper Hog-nose Viper Hog-nose Viper
Peanut Bug ?? bug ?? moth
Piero (Costa Rican ecology student) collecting Passiflora sp. Passiflora sp. - tricked me into thinking is was Psiguria :( - now I know about the tendrils! Bougainvillea sp. - grows like trees in Costa Rica in many beautiful colors
Lily Orchidaceae Oncidium klotzchianum Thunbergia sp. - with insect inside
Baby Armadillo on the Costa Rican rainforest floor Baby Armadillo on the Costa Rican rainforest floor White Tent Bats sleeping beneath a banana leaf
Rothschildia sp. Eyelash Viper - yellow morph the dreaded Bullet Ant - 1-1/4" long!!
Rytidostylis sp. from Costa Rica - flower Rytidostylis sp. from Costa Rica - fruit my hotel room at Hotel Ritmo del Caribe in San Jose, Costa Rica
Rocio Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica ceremonial rock of Toyopán displayed at the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica
Ericaceae (det. Michael Nee) Caesalpinia pulcherrima - flowers Cyperaceae Rynchospora colorata
Psychotria poeppigiana Papaya farm

Butterfly ginger - Hedychium coronarium (Zingiberaceae) - thanks Doug!

Bushmaster - a bite results in only 25% chance of survival (coil diameter 12") Bushmaster - what a nasty guy!! non-native Iridaceae Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora (det. Michael Nee)
unknown frog unknown frog in a Heliconia leaf Caiman sp.
Psiguria triphylla - flower (UT greenhouse) Psiguria triphylla - leaves (UT greenhouse) - I hope to find this species on another trip to Central America Psiguria triphylla - inflorescence (UT)
Lantana camara Fabaceae Arachis pintoi - in Costa Rica they call it "manicillo" which means "little peanut" Epidendrum radicans - orchid
Howler Monkey Basilisk sp.  walks on water Basilisk sp. - Jesus Christ lizard
Euphorbiaceae Jatropha multifida - Patricia Nethercote sent me this identification - Thanks! spiky caterpillar - 5" long Acacia sp. - showing THORNS!!
Heliconius sp. - they feed on Psiguria pollen can you see the pollen on his proboscis? that's me again
Crocodile Dendrobates pumilio - with two tadpoles on her back Dendrobates pumilio - Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (called "frog in blue jeans" in Spanish)
Momordica charantia - fruit - Bitter Gourd - Plant ID from around the world (Thanks Mahendra from India!)
  Momordica charantia - leaves Rocio in the rainforest
beach at Dominical, Costa Rica beach at Dominical, Costa Rica Asclepias curassavica
Tamandua sp.  - Southern anteater unknown Fabaceae unknown Fabaceae
Tree Boa Tree Boa (held by Matt, the herpetologist) Bare-throated Tiger Heron
Red-eyed Tree Frog Red-eyed Tree Frog Red-eyed Tree Frogs in amplexus
Howler Monkey Green Iguana - orange during the mating season Iguana sp. - Green Iguana
Rat Tree snake face Matt, the herpetologist, with a Rat Tree snake Praying Mantis
Costa Rica the Continental Divide through Costa Rica White-faced Capuchin monkey
Arenal Volcano - no, I didn't take these pictures, they sell them in the gift shop Arenal Volcano - I've been to Costa Rica 4 times and I've never seen this volcano because of fog Arenal Volcano at night
     
     

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