Passion fruit leaf

One thing I've learned about passion fruit plants is that they need a lot of sunlight. I've planted the vines in places where I fantasized they would attract a lot of attention from visitors, but they never made it. They do like sun! The one in the image seems to have found what it likes the most. It's grown a lot since I took this picture. Cleuson rigged up a long piece of barbed wire for it to latch onto. Coming up. By the way, this is the commercial variety of passion fruit, Passiflora edulis. Not to be confused with the wild varieities of passion fruit found at Bosque Santa Lucia. They grow up in the shade of the forest and then sneak out into the sunlight to flower.

Jacaranda copaia

The purple flowers of Jacaranda copaia fell from sky to decorate the environment below. The tree puts on quite a show with an explosion of purple and it's said that the dry season is over when this happens. In reality, it's rained only once since the trees bloomed. Nevertheless, nature's show is spectacular.

Unidentified

When I first posted the image of these flowers, I identified them as the genus Senna. I had mistakenly confused them with other yellow flowers in the immediate area, which had been identified by Mary at A Neotropical Savanna as Senna. Sorry for the confusion. Refer to our
exchange posted under comments. Back to the drawing board.

Fuzzy plant

The new shoots on this small tree certainly get some attention, given they are so different than others around it. I haven't the slightest idea as to the species. That's biodiversity. Never an end to learning.

Rural dogs

Local dogs around Bosque Santa Lucia are always noteworthy. It's been my experience that they don't live a long happy life. Generations of dogs have come and gone since I've been here. Some follow their owners out to the highway, BR-163, where they are unexpectedly run over by speeding vehicles. Others die of snake bites; some die of disease; some starve to death and some just disappear. And then there are some that settle in with neighbors, who feed them. Yes, that's me. I shouldn't do it, because in reality they belong to other people. I remember one dog I nurtured back to health from a total state of starvation. One day I arived at the Bosque to discover that she had been killed by the true owner because she had eaten some duck eggs. I promised to never get a attached to another dog belonging to others. Hum, so be it. The dog in the upper image established residence at the Bosque some months ago, also a case of skin and bones. I refuse to get attached to her emotionally, but I do feed her and she seldom leaves the Bosque premises. She pays for her expenses by performing as a watchdog when I'm not there. The dog in the lower image belongs to the neighbors across the road, Sr. Carlos and his family. There are a pack of kids there and they seem to take good care of the dog. Nevertheless, he is quick to cross the road when I arrive at the Bosque and he has a voracious appetite. I have to keep an eye on where I place food because he will climb upon tables, or wherever, to get to the goodies.

Summer fungi

The nomenclature is mine. I don't think there is such a name, "summer fungi". It came to mind because we are at the end (I hope) of a long hot summer and these fungi give that impression. Reminds me of dried flowers.

Spiders, continued

Someone mentioned that these spiders might be aranha armadeira (Phoneutria reidyi), but I haven't found anything to prove it. Hairy as they are, I suspect that they are baby tarantulas.

Not easy weaning the young spiders from their former nest.

Spiders, continued

Another look at the egg sack of Madame Spider. This picture was taken yesterday. I get the feeling that it's hardening up. A week ago it was much more like a fluff of cotton.

Domestic spiders

No, I don't raise spiders out at Bosque Santa Lucia, but it appears that way. A few days ago I was moving some paintings around in my small wooden house, when to my surprise I discovered these spiders and their egg sack on the backside of a Marcio Dizencourt canvas. There must have been more than 100 of these spiders and I assume that they were a few days old, since they couldn't possibly all fit into that egg sack. I didn't see Mama around either. I took some pictures and put the painting back on the wall. I look forward to having another look tomorrow.

Guaraná fruit

Fruit of guaraná (Paullina cupana), which is classified as a stimulant and aphrodisiac. The main ingredient is caffeine. Five times more than coffee!

Bloom

I discovered this flower at the end of a small branch coming off a regenerated tree that had been cut for bringing in electrical wiring to the reception center. A very nondescript tree, had it not been for the bloom.

Vanilla flowers, continued

Another vanilla flower closes down with the reduced sunlight at the end of the day.

Vanilla flower, continued

A diffused view of a flower with buds in the background.

Vanilla flower

Well, having paid tribute to the lone wasp building its nest, it was time to photograph flowers from the vanilla vine. View from the front, looking into the flower.

Paper wasp, continued

A better look at the nest. Isn't it a beauty? I'll be checking on it again to see if there are other individuals involved.

Paper wasp

I was up high on a chair shooting pictures of a vanilla vine in bloom when I came face to face with this beautiful wasp. There were times when it stared at me, but it didn't seem too worried about having to pose for my camera.

Insect 217

Hum, anyone know what it is? The first and last time I've seen one of these.

Black ant and hole

Hey, anybody down there?

Ipê trees

Some weeks ago I posted images of our ipê trees in bloom. Shortly thereafter, all the blooms fell to the ground making for a carpet of yellow (top Image). In more recent times we were shuffling our feet through layers of seeds (the bottom two images). There are many species of ipês in Brazil. The big trees cut for lumber are found in the high forest of the Amazon. Then there others to be found in the tropical savanna. Small dwarf trees, which knock your eyes out when they are in bloom. And there are others, some used for decorating our streets. According to Guilhereme, we have at least four different species at the Fundação. The genus is Tabebuia. The family is Bignoniaceae. Another common name for ipê is pau dárco, bow wood.

Fungi, continued

And this one could be named "bat fungus under rain".

Fungi

Hum, this one could be named "bulls-eye" fungus.

Insects 3167

Arteriosclerosis is blocking my memory. I can't remember the name of these insects. Tree hoppers, or something like that. I'll remember later to make the correction. I've identified them before, but I found this image to be better than older posts.

Dr. Pedro Pardal

The IV Congress of Butantan Amazônia is taking place in Santarém, October 20-30. The theme of the encounter this session is "Biodiversity and Research of Poisonous Animals in the Amazon". Presentations and workshops are taking place at most universities in Santarém in Santarém, plus field research in Belterra. I had planned on participating in most of the evening sessions, but a aggravating cold and cough kept me away from these events. One presentation I wouldn't miss for anything was scheduled for Friday evening at UEPA. The keynote speaker was Dr. Pedro Pardal (attached image) from the School of Tropical Medicine at the Federal University of Pará in Belém. He comes to Santarém quite often for speaking engagements and field research in his specialty of poisonous animals. I came to be introduced to Dr. Pardal via my wife, Áurea, who was his student when she was a medical student at the Federal University. Friday night's presentation was entitled "Poisonous Fish of the Amazon". Great stuff!

Wild passion fruit flower

A wild passion fruit flower makes it debut. What appears to be a log on the lower right is actually the main vine. It's huge!

Guaraná

Guaraná (Paullina cupana) plant in bloom.

Theobroma

Top image, environmental management student from Antioch College taking pictures of the inflorescence of wild cacao. Bottom image, the flowers. Picture taken last Saturday.

CEPES flowers

Flowers in bloom at CEPES, our school of professional education.

Pau Brasil, continued

Although I'm happy to have a piece of Pau Brasil wood, it's a very poor quality sample. It's a reject because of the knot. It's also faded in color because I had left the board out in an open area, where it suffered from the elements, including rain.

Pau Brasil, continued

My two Pau Brasil (Caesalpinia echinata) trees. The images of flowers and seed pods were from the one on the right. This picture was taken nearly two years ago, so the trees are a bit larger now.

Pau Brasil, continued

Seedlings of Pau Brasil. Germination rate is very high for the seeds.

Pau Brasil, continued

Mature and dried seeds from the Pau Brasil pods. As I remember it, there are around 4 seeds to a pod. Nope, no thorns on the seeds!

Pau Brasil, continued

The first seed pods produced by one of my two Pau Brasil (Caesalpinia eschinata) trees. Notice the immature thorns on the bean pods. Pau Brasil is a very thorny tree! They're to be found on the main trunk of the tree, on stems and even the bean pods.

Pau Brasil

Pau Brasil (Caesalpinia eschinata) is probably the most famous of all the trees in Brazil. As a matter of fact, the country gets its name from this tree. It's not from the Amazon, but the Atlantic Forest. In previous posts I reported on history of Pau Brasil (Brazil wood), so I won't repeat the story. I came by three of the seedlings a few years ago. One died, but the other two are doing quite well in the area next to the Bosque Santa Lucia reception center. One of the trees has flowered time and again, but it never produced fruit until this year. Image, inflorescence of Pau Brasil. More coming.

Hybiscus

As long as they get food and water, they just keep knocking our eyeballs out. They also require a lot of sunshine, which they are getting this time of the year.

Invisible spider

These spiders are real artists at becoming invisible.

Insect 2741

I would assume from the fly family. Not common. First I've seen.

Long horned beetle

Not a very good picture of this long-horned beetle, but it was a one-shot affair. I've never been too keen on using nets, but I can understand how the practice facilitates photography.

Tucumã fruit

Something took a liking to this tucumã fruit (Astrocaryum vulgre).

Yellow wings

Leftover beauty from a former butterfly.

Duranta repens

The mature fruit of pingo de ouro (Duranta repens).

Chacrona

Chacrona (Psicotria virodis) leaves and fruit. The leaves are one component for making ayahuasca tea.

Red leaves

The younger set showing off!