Tuesday 22 April 2014

Earth Day - Cayman’s native plants for native wildlife


Cayman’s native plants for native wildlife in my Caribbean garden, 

George Town, Grand Cayman:


Red Bean/Immortelle/Cockspur Tree – Erythrina velutina Critically Endangered
Fustic – Maclura tinctoria Critically Endangered (dioecious), this tree bears staminate flowers
Fiddlewood – Petitia domingensis Endangered
Bull Thatch – Thrinax radiata, Critically Endangered
Parrot Berry – Bourreria venosa with Bald Pate/White-crowned Pigeon
Mahogany – Swietenia mahagoni Endangered
Snake Wood – Colubrina arborescens Critically Endangered  
Strawberry – Eugenia axillaris 

Also in the picture, or just out of it, are
Wild Spanish Armada – Alvaradoa amorphoides Endangered
Trichilia – Trichilia havanensis Critically Endangered
Cedar – Cedrela odorata Critically Endangered
Wild Calabash - Elaeodendron xylocarpum Critically Endangered (not the same as Calabash)
Clam Cherry - Cordia laevigata Critically Endangered
Burn Nose – Daphnopsis americana Critically Endangered
Broadleaf – Cordia sebestena var. caymanensis* Vulnerable
Wild Cinnamon – Croton nitens Endangered
Duppy Bush – Phyllanthus angustifolius
Cajon – Colubrina cubensis
Ghost Orchid – Dendrophylax fawcettii* Critically Endangered
Old George – Hohenbergia caymanensis* Critically Endangered
Banana Orchid – Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. thomsoniana* Endangered
Dollar Orchid – Prosthechia boothiana Near Threatened
Smoke Wood – Erythroxylum areolatum
Lancewood – Randia aculeata
Slingshot (Wild Jasmine) – Tabernaemontana laurifolia  Endangered
Jessamine (Cestrum) – Cestrum diurnum Vulnerable
Pepperleaf Sweetwood – Licaria triandra Critically Endangered
Pepper Cinnamon – Canella winterana Critically Endangered

* endemic
Photo: Ann Stafford, April 19, 2014


Bulrush - Zamia integrifolia (= Z. pumila), ZAMIACEAE, Critically Endangered,
male plant on left, female plants on right, Grand Cayman.
Ann's garden, photo: Ann Stafford, Apr. 22, 1012


Christmas Berry - Allophylus cominia var. caymanesis, Family: SAPINDACEAE, Cayman Islands endemic variety, Near Threatened.
A shrub with tiny flowers, which will have become bright red berries by Christmas time.
Ann's garden, photo: P. Ann van B. Stafford, Oct. 8, 2012

click here for more plants   Cayman Plants


Banana Orchid - Myrmecophila thomsoniana, Cayman Islands National Flower, endemic, Endangered.
M.t. var. thomsoniana - Grand Cayman only
M.t. var. minor - Little Cayman and Cayman Brac only.
Photo: P. Ann van B. Stafford, June 3, 2013.


Myrsine - Myrsine acrantha, Family: MYRSINACEAE, Critically Endangered
and non-native Christmas/Manila Palms.
Ann's garden, Feb.6, 2013.

Click  here for  CaymANNature

Click here for  Grand Cayman Nature Tours

 Bull hoof - Bauhinia divaricata, Family: FABCAEAE,
a favourite nectar flower of Grand Cayman's endemic Swallowtail butterfly.
Ann's Garden, March 22, 2010.


Click here for   CaymANNature Flora photos 


 Queen or Soldier larvae, Danaus sp. on 
Red Top (Scarlet Milkweed) - Asclepias curassavica, their larval food plant.
Photo: P. Ann van B. Stafford, Grand Cayman, Dec. 24, 2006.

 Queen butterfly - Danaus gilippus, Family: DANAIDAE,
nectaring on Red Top (Scarlet Milkweed) - Asclepias curassavica.
Photo: P. Ann van B. Stafford, Grand Cayman, Nov. 21, 2004.

No comments:

Post a Comment