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

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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.

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


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 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.

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