Cayambe Coca | Morten Ross

Tag Archives: Cayambe Coca

Guango Lodge plant 09 (Odontoglossum?)

Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Guango Lodge plant 08 (Odontoglossum?)

Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Guango Lodge plant 07 (Bromeliaceae)

This is one of the less conspicuous of the Bromeliads. Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Guango Lodge plant 06 (Orchidaceae)

Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Telipogon

Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Erato polymnioides

Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

A vital and dominant plant with large leaves that effectively support its growth while suppressing that of the smaller plants in close proximity. Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Thalictrum podocarpum

Altitude 2700 metres.

Thalictrum podocarpum

A very “flimsy” and widespread infloresence where the flowers hang like constant moving bells. Altitude 2700 metres.

Gynoxys sp

Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Gynoxys sp

Yet another wild flowering plant that should make its way to parks and gardens, as you’re richly rewarded when it’s in bloom. I found it close to the bridge crossing the river Papallacta. Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Guango Lodge plant 03

Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Guango Lodge plant 02 (Cyrtochilum ?)

Altitude 2700 metres.

Guango Lodge plant 01

Altitude 2700 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Shanshi (Coriaria thymifolia)

Grows widespread in high altitudes, and I saw it in all stages from pre-bloom to ripe fruits like here. Looks like licorice, but don’t be fooled! The berries are toxic to cattle and hallucinogenic to humans. Supposedly one of the experiences is the feeling of flying or floating! Better stay firmly on the ground then, […]

Cayambe Coca plant 26 (Rubus sp)

Altitude 3083 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 26 (Rubus sp)

Altitude 3083 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Salvia scutellarioides

Altitude 3083 metres.

Salvia scutellarioides

Altitude 3083 metres.

Cayambe Coca insect 01

Altitude 3083 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Macleania cf. rupestris

Altitude 3083 metres.

Macleania cf. rupestris

Altitude 3083 metres.

Cayambe Coca plant 23 (Odontoglossum?)

Altitude 3083 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 23 (Odontoglossum?)

Altitude 3083 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Bidens andicola

Altitude 3083 metres.

Bidens andicola

Grows widespread at this altitude and should be popular in gardens and parks due to it’s large flower. Altitude 3083 metres.

Brugmansia sanguinea

Looks like a wild mango, but it’s far from it! Altitude 3083 metres.

Calceolaria tripartita

One of several very similar of the Calceolaria and grows commonly at this altitude. Altitude 3083 metres. Please help me classify – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 22 (Rubus sp)

Altitude 3083 metres. Please help me classify – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 22 (Rubus sp)

Yet another species of Rubus! Altitude 3083 metres. Please help me identify it – leave a comment 🙂

Brugmansia sanguinea

An incredibly large flower which attracts insects in droves, especially small flies inhabit the flower for the duration of its flowering period. I saw most of them had a ring of flies sitting inside. It is a great combination of safety, food and insulation against the elements. Although this is a wild and native plant […]

Cayambe Coca plant 21

Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂 Altitude 3083 metres

Lepidium sp

Altitude 3083 metres

Lepidium sp

Altitude 3083 metres

Indian paintbrush (Castilleja arvensis)

The intense and unique red is simply mesmerizing to me, and this specimen was the absolute grandest of them all! Altitude 3083 metres

Indian paintbrush (Castilleja arvensis)

Altitude 3083 metres

Cayambe Coca plant 19

At this altitude many plants have limited heat and energy to produce flowers, and thus all energy is invested in one huge. It seems disproportionate to the rest, as the leaves are so small and seems to have too little surface area to photosynthesize sufficient energy. Altitude 3720 metres Please help me classify it – […]

Hypochaeris taraxacoides

I’m not certain about this one – is it a pink variety or a different species? Altitude 3720 metres Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Hesperomeles obtusifolia var. microphylla

Altitude 3720 metres

Hesperomeles obtusifolia var. microphylla

Altitude 3720 metres

Tristerix longibracteata

Altitude 3720 metres

Cayambe Coca plant 17 (Stachys sp)

Altitude 3720 metres Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Clinopodium nubigenum

Altitude 3720 metres

Cayambe Coca plant 16

Altitude 3720 metres Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 16

Altitude 3720 metres Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Monnina crassifolia?

My first encounter with monninas was close to the wall of Mount Roraima in Venezuela, albeit a slender specimen compared to this incredibly vital and beatiful member of the familfy. At first glance one might think this infloresence is of the Lupinus, but it’s not even in the same family. Altitude 3720 metres Please help […]

Monnina crassifolia?

Altitude 3720 metres Please help me identify it – leave a comment 🙂

Tristerix longibracteata

A parasitic plant, so the wonderful flowers are possible only due to the nutrients stolen from the host plant! In Europe we have the mistletoe – but no such floral extravaganza! Altitude 3720 metres

Cayambe Coca plant 15

Altitude 3720 metres Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 15

Altitude 3720 metres Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Monnina crassifolia?

Altitude 3720 metres Please help me identify it – leave a comment 🙂

Brachyotum jamesonii

Endemic to Ecuador and this altitude called Páramo. I saw several individuals on my trip here. Altitude 3720 metres

Hypericum laricifolium

Compared to all the European species of Hypericum this is a very large plant, and I didn’t even see the resemblance. The spiral arrangement of the petals for one, and the leaves and the size for another. Grows commonly at this altidtude. Altitude 3720 metres

Valeriana microphylla

Leathery, thick, shiny and geometrically arranged leaves. In addition to this, each and every leaf has an artistic burgundy droplet on the tip! Altitude 3720 metres

Valeriana microphylla

Easy to see when in bloom, and when in groups like here. They were in many stages – from almost past blooming to just buds, so they are a source of food for insects for quite some time. Very hard to get a sharp image here, as it was very windy! Altitude 3720 metres

Cayambe Coca plant 14 (Asteraceae)

Altitude 3720 metres Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 14 (Asteraceae)

Altitude 3720 metres Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Diplostephium gladulosum

In some locations this plant grows in dense groups, and when in bloom they form equally dense fields of flowers. I was lucky to visit during the flowering season! Altitude 3720 metres

Diplostephium lavandulaefolium

Altitude 3720 metres

Diplostephium lavandulaefolium

Seems identical to the gladulosum when not in bloom, but now the color makes all the difference. Just like the gladulosum this one can form dense groups that are simply astonishing when in bloom. During flowering all kinds of insects are visiting, and sometimes an odd humanoid like me just sighs in awe and gratefulness! […]

Nertera granadensis

Common and easy to find when bearing fruits. Altitude 3450 metres.

Cayambe Coca plant 12 (Epilobium)

Altitude 3450 metres.

Cayambe Coca plant 11 (Gnaphalium?)

A dense, soft, sun-reflecting and protective layer of white hairs protects against the cold climate at this altitude. With this layer of dense sun-reflecting hair, the photosynthesis must be rather inefficient! Altitude 3450 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 11 (Gnaphalium?)

An almost white plant! Only the infloresence and flowers are different in color. Altitude 3450 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 10 (Lycopodium)

One of several species of Lycopodium at this altitude. Looks like spruce! Altitude 3450 metres.

Cayambe Coca plant 09 (Bartsia)

Altitude 3450 metres.

Cayambe Coca plant 08

Altitude 3450 metres.

Cayambe Coca plant 08

Some places it grows in dense and large groups, so much so that they effectively have overpowered all other species. Altitude 3450 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Pernettya prostrata

Altitude 3450 metres.

Pernettya prostrata

One of very few purple fruits. Altitude 3450 metres.

Deer’s Antlers (Halenia weddeliana)

Looks at first glance like an orchid, but it’s not. It’s common at this altitude. Altitude 3450 metres.

Baccharis genistelloides

Altitude 3500 metres.

Baccharis genistelloides

Looks almost cactus-like, but it’s far from it! One of the more unusual of the daisies. Altitude 3500 metres.

Cayambe Coca plant 06

Altitude 3450 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Cayambe Coca plant 06

Altitude 3450 metres. Please help me classify it – leave a comment 🙂

Barnadesia arborea

The leaves are leathery, pointy, thick and shiny. Here you see the long spines. Altitude 3450 metres.

Brachyotum ledifolium

The leaves are covered with rather stiff hairs. Altitude 3450 metres.

Brachyotum ledifolium

I found none with open flowers, but the promise is beautiful nonetheless. Altitude 3450 metres.

Halo (22° Circular Halo)

Altitude 3083 metres. See Atmospheric Optics for more on halo and how it forms.

Barnadesia arborea

This shrub was growing close to the dirt road leading deeper into Cayambe Coca and was growing on private grounds where cows were grazing. Fortunately cows do not find this plant edible – not even the flowers. It could be due to the long spines or simply because it’s just not suited for food. Despite […]

Aetanthus nodosus

Looks edible and tempting – but are they? First of all red here is not ripe – black is! Should I trust black berries from a plant that is parasitic? Then again a parasite might offer chemicals not much different than that of the host. Altitude 3450 metres.