Bruce Holst

Colin Young

Botany Summary

General botanical collections were made of the Maya Mountain divide and along the upper slopes on the Cayo side of the divide, from 800 m at the lowest point up to the 1130 m at Doyle’s Delight. A total of 281 vascular plant collections were made, including 1107 duplicate herbarium specimens and approximately 90 living plants. These represent about 75 families and 170 genera. Photographs were taken of the majority of the species collected.

The beautiful palm Colpothrinax cookii was the dominant canopy tree, but other large trees present were Ilex sp. (Aquifoliaceae), Euterpe precatoria (Arecaceae), Hedyosmum mexicanum (Chloranthaceae), Clusia sp. (Clusiaceae), Cyrilla racemiflora and Purdiea belizensis (both Cyrillaceae), two species of Sloanea (Elaeocarpaceae), several Euphorbiaceae, four or five species of Inga (Fabaceae), two species of Quercus (Fagaceae), Calatola costaricensis (Icacinaceae), several Lauraceae, Magnolia yoroconte (Magnoliaceae), Podocarpus sp. (Podocarpaceae), Randia matudae (Rubiaceae).

However, since trees were fairly well collected during previous expeditions, an effort was made to collect as many herbaceous plants, particularly epiphytes, as possible.
The common bamboo on the divide (Merostachys sp., Poaceae) flowered earlier in 2007 (or 2006?) and nearly all adult plants were dead. Numerous seedlings were observed and a few larger plants persisted. Collections of old flower remnants were made along with several of the persisting adult culms.

Based on the photographs alone, four species of epiphyte new to Belize were found. Catopsis nitida, Werauhia hygrometrica, Werauhia sanguinolenta (all bromeliads) and Columnea linearis (Gesneriaceae). Another bromeliad (Werauhia noctiflorens), which was very common in the camp area, was described as new for science coincidentally in September 2007 based on a collection made from Little Quartz Ridge in 1997 and also found in Chiapas, Mexico. Pteridophytes are also particularly rich in the area, with many tree ferns present.

Colpothrinax cookii The dominant canopy tree	Clusia sp. One of several species encountered. This is a picture of a ripe fruit.
Werauhia noctiflorens Very common in the camp area, was described as new for science coincidentally in September 2007 based on a collection made from Little Quartz Ridge in 1997.	Merostachys sp., Poaceae) Flowered earlier in 2007 (or 2006?) and nearly all adult plants were dead. Numerous seedlings were observed and a few larger plants persisted. Collections of old flower remnants were made along with several of the persisting adult culms.

The living plants were divided between the Belize Botanic Garden, the Belize Zoo, and Selby Botanical Gardens. All CITES-listed live specimens (Cactaceae, Orchidaceae) were left in Belize as Hurricane Felix caused disruptions in government services, making it difficult to obtain CITES permits. As of this date, the herbarium specimens are awaiting shipment from Belize to Florida for drying and processing. After processing, the sets will be distributed as follows: Belize Forestry Dept., Selby Botanical Gardens, taxonomic specialist, Missouri Botanical Garden, British Museum of Natural History, New York Botanical Garden, Escuela Agricola Panamericana in Honduras.

Selby Gardens is grateful to Marge Schmiel for financial support. We wish to thank our field colleagues, particularly Jan Meerman, for adding numerous species to our collection.

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