10th Grade Environmental Education
Centro de Educación Creativa Monteverde, Costa Rica
2012-2013
Acknowledgements
We worked really hard to identify plants in the greenhouse and to put together this resource booklet, but we could not have done this alone. We would like to thank Willow Zuchowski for her expertise and assistance, and Carol Yang and Philip Tapley for all their advice and support during this project. We are also very grateful to the ProNativas staff and volunteers for the photos!
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Table of Contents
How to Use the Guide……………………………..4
About the Authors…………………………………6
Background on Monteverde…………………...... 7
Introduction to CEC……………………………….9
CEC Greenhouse………………………………...10
Plant Characteristics…………………………...... 11
Plant Growth Forms…………………………...…15
Selected Families/Genera* in the Greenhouse Araceae: Anthurium………………….…..…...... 16 Araceae: Monstera…………………………...…..17 Araceae: Philodendron…………….………………..18 Araliaceae……………………………………...... 19 Arecaceae: Chamaedorea…………………...…...20 Begoniaceae…………………………………..….21 Bromeliaceae………………………………….....22 Clusiaceae: Clusia…………………………….....23 Ericaceae…………………………………………24 Ochidaceae……………………………………….25 Piperaceae: Peperomia…….……………………...... 26
Bibliography…………………………………...... 27
Glossary……………………………………...... 28
*Genus names are italicized
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How to Use the Guide
LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT PLANTS!
We have selected 11 common plant taxa (some families, some genera) that are represented in the CEC Greenhouse. For each plant taxon, you can learn about its species diversity in the world, Costa Rica, and Monteverde. We included information about plant characteristics to help with identification, natural history and ecology, and any interesting plant uses. There are also representative images for each taxon.
GET FAMILIAR WITH NEW CONCEPTS!
Any word in this booklet that is in BOLD can be found in the glossary at the end of the booklet. Look up any new plant terminology you may not have learned before! For practice, go ahead and flip to the glossary and look up the word taxa from the paragraph above!
We have included sections to help you understand basic plant characteristics and the different growth forms that you can find in the cloud forest. You can find them in the table of contents. Take some time to get familiar with this information to get one step closer to being a plant expert!
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GET OUT THERE AND IDENTIFY!
Use this booklet to learn about plants we have in the CEC Greenhouse! After reading about their key characteristics, try to find them. After you get pretty good at it, you can have fun looking for these plants while you hike in the cloud forest!
TAKE IT A STEP FURTHER…
As you use this guide to get familiar with many plants of the cloud forest, ask yourself some questions about them: What kinds of microclimates do these plants thrive in? How do they interact with other organisms in their ecosystem? What adaptations do they have? What abiotic conditions are necessary for the plant to survive?
Come up with your own questions to explore the biodiversity of plants in the cloud forest ecosystem!
There is an incredible biodiversity of plants here in our Greenhouse and Monteverde!
Enjoy and STAY CURIOUS!
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About the Authors
Our class is really amazing! Every person in it has a different cool thing to add to our class. There are students from everywhere – from Monteverde, San Luis, Cerro Plano, Cañitas, and Santa Elena. We are an interactive and culturally diverse class. We have 4 international students and 8 ticos!
Our school has a focus on environmental projects. Our greenhouse is one of the oldest ones and is the work of many people, including students, volunteers, and staff. It is really important!
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Monteverde
Introduction Through the years, Monteverde has been called a place where the sound of bell birds stay in the minds of its visitors, a place where artists can flourish and a model for tropical rainforest reserves.
The first time someone from another country settled in the mountain called Monteverde was in 1951. A group of 50 Quakers bought land and started their life on the mountain.
Many people have helped protect this precious cloud forest. The people of Monteverde have created a community that is full of peace and at harmony with nature.
What are cloud forests? Cloud forests are a type of evergreen mountain forest found in tropical areas, where clouds often pass through the forest in contact with the trees. One of their most obvious features is an abundance of mosses, ferns, orchids and other epiphytic plants that may be seen on every tree and rock surface.
Abiotic conditions: Monteverde has a climate that varies depending on the time of year. There is a rainy season with a lot of precipitation that is vital for the survival of organisms in the cloud forest ecosystem. In the later months of the year and extending into January, it can be quite cloudy and cold relative to the climate in lower altitudes in Costa Rica. Much of the rest of the year tends to be much drier. Windy conditions are very common.
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Biotic communities: There is incredible biodiversity here in the cloud forest of Monteverde. The many different life zones here support a wide range of plants and animals with interesting adaptations – they range from microscopic to very large! Many plants and animals have coevolved and share symbiotic relationships. There are many species that are endemic to Monteverde and found only here!
Environmental projects and activities: Many people work to protect the cloud forest ecosystem through the reserves in the zone, such as the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. This is the largest private reserve in Costa Rica and exists thanks to the help of children and adults all over the world!
ProNativas is an organization that works towards educating and increasing the use of native ornamental plants in Costa Rica.
There are also cooperative efforts in Monteverde to create the Bellbird Biological Corridor. This corridor will link the upper cloud forest to the coastal region and protect many different types of habitats! It was founded by seven organizations in the zone.
There are many conservation and education organizations that are working with conservation, reforestation, and sustainability issues here in the Monteverde zone. The students at the CEC are also involved in important reforestation efforts and research.
We love Monteverde and together we will work towards a more sustainable future!
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Introduction to the CEC
You are standing at the Centro de Educación Creativa. La Creativa, also known as the Cloud Forest School (the CEC for short), is a private, environmentally-focused school that was created with the purpose of educating kids in the Monteverde area. The Monteverde Friends School, a 30 minute walk from where you stand, was not large enough to accommodate the growing demand for an alternative to the public schools in the area. The CEC grew out of this demand and the desires of many local parents for a school that fostered a sense of love and responsibility for the natural world.
Our vision at the CEC is to help build a sustainable future for the Earth by educating individuals to love, respect and protect the natural environment, to strive for justice and peace as well as academic excellence and to work towards conserving biodiversity and enriching community life.
Our mission is to nurture generations of ecologically aware, academically well-rounded bilingual individuals. We work to provide students with the knowledge, values and skills needed to make environmentally and socially conscious decisions on a local, national and global scale.
Among the many unique activities that you will find students engaged in around the school are reforestation projects, students assisting our land stewards in maintaining our many gardens, recycling projects, and lots of outdoor learning in our beautiful surroundings here on the mountain. WELCOME!
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CEC Greenhouse
The CEC Greenhouse, also known as La Casa Verde, is located behind the front offices at the school. In the greenhouse, you will find a diverse range of plant species, garden designs made with reused colorful plastic bottles, and a microclimate that mimics cloud forest conditions. You will often find classes using the greenhouse as a classroom, with children learning about being land stewards and conscious participants in the environment to which they belong.
The preliminary construction of the greenhouse was funded by the Cottonwood Foundation. ProNativas helped to expand the greenhouse in 2004, using funds from The Children’s Rainforest – U.S.
ProNativas has helped with propagation of native plants for the gardens in the greenhouse as well as around the CEC campus. CEC students, ProNativas staff, and volunteers have all contributed to planting in the greenhouse.
Some of the plant taxa that can be found in the greenhouse include: Acanthaceae, Apocynaceae, Araceae (Philodendron, Anthurium, Monstera), Araliaceeae, Arecaceae (Chamaedorea), Asteraceae, Begoniaceae, Bromeliaceae, Clusiaceae, Costaceae, Ericaceae, Fabaceae, Heliconiaceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Ochidaceae, Papavaraceae, Piperaceae (Peperomia), Rubiaceae, and Verbenaceae.
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Plant Characteristics:
Simple vs. Compound Leaves
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Plant Characteristics:
Leaf Arrangement
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Plant Characteristics:
Leaf Shape
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Plant Characteristics:
Leaf Venation
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Plant Growth Forms
TERRESTRIAL- A plant that places its roots in the ground and grows exclusively from the ground. Example: Calathea crotalifera.
EPIPHYTE- A non-parasitic plant that grows rooted on another plant. Examples: orchids, bromeliads.
HEMI-EPYPHYTE- a plant that begins life as an epiphyte, but sends roots to the ground as it grows to take up water and nutrients from the soil. Examples: Clusia, the strangler fig.
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Family: Araceae Genus: Anthurium
By Malachai
More than 800 species of Anthurium can be found in the tropics and in cloud forests. There are 87 species in Costa Rica and 32 species in Monteverde.
These plants are generally epiphytic. They are typically found where there is rich soil, a moist environment, and not a lot of strong wind.
Sometimes the spadix has a spicy toothpaste-like scent. The spadix may be a reddish-purple color after flowering. Some species have juicy red berries that form slowly after flowering.
Some Anthurium are pollinated by orchid bees, which are attracted to the plants by the aroma of the perfume that they release. These plants are used generally as decorations by humans and have no known medicinal use.
Anthurium tilaranese
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Family: Araceae Genus: Monstera
By Eduardo
There are around 60 species in the world and 22 species in Costa Rica. There are 10 species in Monteverde.
These plants have conspicuously perforated leaves and long fruit. Leaves change shape and size during their development. The flowers of Monstera are also conspicuous, featuring a hood-like bract around the interior flower. Monstera species are generally called the ‘Swiss cheese plant’ because of the holes in the leaves.
At least one species of Monstera has edible fruit and the plants are also used ornamentally. Usually Monstera begin growing from the ground and may climb using other plants.
The two most common species in Monteverde are M. adansonii and the larger M. deliciosa.
Monstera adansonii
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Family: Araceae Genus: Philodendron
By Steven
Philodendron are common to the Neotropics, especially in very wet areas. There are around 600 species in the world, 62 species in Costa Rica, and 18 in Monteverde.
Philodendron plants have alternate leaves. Flowers are densely packed into a spike called a spadix, with separate male and female flowers. The spadix is enveloped by a leaf-like hood known as a spathe. These plants have heart-shaped or arrowhead-shaped leaves with parallel venation. They are often climbing or epiphytic. Humans commonly use these plants for decoration.
Some Philodendron plants are pollinated by a scarab beetle. These beetles are attracted to a scented compound released by the plants.
Philodendron species
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Family: Araliaceae
By Danny
There are around 1,300 species in the Araliaceae family found worldwide in both tropical and temperate areas. There are 51 species in Costa Rica and 18 in Monteverde.
These plants grow in the form of shrubs or trees with resin ducts. The leaves are alternate and bunched at the tips of the twigs with long petioles of varying lengths; some have palmately compound leaves with leaflets. The flowers are small and some species are dioecious. Their fruit is a purple-black berry. The fruits are dispersed by birds and the flowers attract pollinators such as bees, wasps, and flies.
Many Araliaceae species in Monteverde are hemi- epiphytes. This family contains the well-known medicinal herb, Ginseng.
Oreopanax oerstedianus
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Family: Arecaceae Genus: Chamaedorea
By Lucrecia
There are about 95 Chamaedorea species in the world, 31 species in Costa Rica, and 13 in Monteverde.
Chamaedorea is a large genus in the palm family. Palms are very abundant in tropical and subtropical landscapes. The genus Chamaedorea is the most abundant genus of Arecaceae in the Neotropics and in Costa Rica. In Costa Rica, they are known as ‘pacaya.’
Many species have long pinnately compound leaves with leaflets that are somewhat ‘s-shaped.’ They are dioecious and have many small yellowish flowers. The fruit is round and black when mature.
Chamaedorea palms are common in the cloud forest above 1,500 meters. Some are used as ornamental plants and in landscaping.
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Family: Begoniaceae
By Chloe
There are over 1200 species worldwide, with between 30 and 40 found in Costa Rica. There are 11 in Monteverde. Most of the species are found in South American wet forest.
Begoniaceae can be small (under 10 cm) up to 3 meters tall, often with reddish stems, dark green leaves, numerous small white or light pink flowers, and thin or succulent, heart-shaped, or asymmetrical leaves that are alternate and simple.
Some Begoniaceae grow from the ground, while others are epiphytic. These plants thrive in wet rainforests, usually in the shade from sea level to an altitude of 1700 meters.
Begoniaceae plants are used by humans ornamentally.
Begonia plebeja
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Family: Bromeliaceae
By Alejandra
The Bromeliaceae family is found mainly in the American tropics and subtropics. There are 2450 species in the world, 195 species in Costa Rica, and around 70 species in Monteverde.
Bromeliaceae leaves are spiky and soft, needle-thin to broad and flat and typically form a rosette. In some species, the flower remains unseen growing in the base of the plant, while others have visible flowers with colorful bracts.
Almost all bromeliads are epiphytes, but there are also some species that grow on the ground. Bromeliad plants can serve as a habitat for aquatic insects and frogs. Humans use bromeliads primarily as decoration, and some are used for their edible fruit such as the pineapple fruit.
Hummingbirds, bats, and insects often visit bromeliads and serve as pollinators of the plants.
Bromeliads on a tree in high cloud forest
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Family: Clusiaceae Genus: Clusia
By Ethan
This family is found in tropical areas across the world, with a strong presence in Central and South America. There are 1000 species in the Clusiaceae family worldwide, 60 in Costa Rica, and 22 in Monteverde.
Plants of the Clusiaceae family often have yellowish latex in their stems. They have thick, dark green, simple, opposite leaves, small flowers with 4 to 5 petals, and circular, green fruit. These plants are most often shrubs, but some do grow as trees. Clusiaceae are generally hemi-epiphytic, sending roots down towards the ground from the tops of trees.
These plants prefer wet, warm climates such as those found in tropical rain forest. Water from these damp climates is used by Clusiaceae plants to create their characteristic latex and to sustain its thick leaves. The latex from these plants is used by humans as a component of sealant and cooking fuel.
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Family: Ericaceae
By Sebas
The family Ericaceae is found worldwide (excluding Antarctica). There are 4,000 species in the world, 72 in Costa Rica, and 29 in Monteverde.
This family is easy to identify because of their unique tubular flowers, their small simple leaves and the reddish leaves on the top or end of their branches. Plants of this family are often epiphytes, but some species grow from the ground.
These plants typically grow in high altitude where the climate is wet and colder. While almost all species of this family are pollinated by hummingbirds and bees, seed dispersal is also facilitated by wind and birds.
Some species of Ericaceae are used for medicinal purposes. For example, the sparkleberry is used to treat diarrhea, cranberry juice is used to prevent and treat urinary tract infections, and blueberries and huckleberries are often consumed because of their health benefits. Many species of Ericaceae are also used in gardens.
Cavendishia capitulata
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Family: Orchidaceae
By Maileth
Orchids can be found in Central America and most of the world. There are around 25,000 species worldwide, 1,400 in Costa Rica, and 450-500 in Monteverde.
Orchids usually have parallel leaf veins and leaves that are arranged spirally or in two opposite ranks. The flower has a labellum (like a lip) and inside they have a column, where special packets of pollen, called pollinia, are located. They often have a spur that is at the base of the lip and helps pollination. At the base of the leaf of an orchid is a storage unit called a pseudobulb.
Many orchids are epiphytic, but some are terrestrial. There is an amazing diversity of orchids in the tropics, with a variety of different flower sizes, colors and shapes. There is still much to learn about orchids. Much biodiversity of these beautiful plants is in danger of being lost due to deforestation and illegal over-collection of the plants. In some countries, orchids are used in herbal remedies.
Epidendrum radicans
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Family: Piperaceae Genus: Peperomia
By José Andrés
There are around 1,500 species of Peperomia around the world. There are 134 in Costa Rica and around 40 in Monteverde.
The Piperaceae family is also known as the black pepper family. If you crush the leaves, there is a strong pungent odor. Many of the Peperomia plants in Monteverde are epiphytes.
Peperomia are fleshy plants with alternate, opposite, or whorled leaves. Some Peperomia have small leaves, while other species have larger ones. The plants have distinctive tiny flowers that are packed into spike-like inflorescences. The tiny fruits of Peperomia are sometimes sticky and cling to animal fur or feathers. Many Peperomia plants are used for decorative purposes.
Peperomia maculosa
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Bibliography
Dressler R. 1993. Field Guide to the Orchids of Costa Rica and Panama. Cornell University Press, Ithaca.
Haber, W.A., W. Zuchowski, and E. Bello. 2000. An Introduction to Cloud Forest Trees: Monteverde, Costa Rica. Mountain Gem Publications. Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Hammel, B. 2001. Costa Rica Native Ornamental Plants. Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio), Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica.
Ingram, S. 1996. Epiphytes of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Florida.
Maas, P.J.M. 1993. Neotropical Plant Families. Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein, Germany.
Nadkarni, N.M. and N.T. Wheelwright. 2000. Monteverde: Ecology and Conservation of a Tropical Cloud Forest Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Rhodes, M. 2011. Ornamental Plant Families of Costa Rica: A Beginner’s Field Guide. Unpublished.
Zuchowski, W. 1987. Common Plants of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. Tropical Science Center, San José, Costa Rica.
Zuchowski, W. 2007. Tropical Plants of Costa Rica. Cornell Press, Ithaca, New York.
Image credits go to the ProNativas staff and volunteers – ¡MUCHAS GRACIAS!
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Glossary
abiotic - non-living elements and factors in an environment (e.g. humidity, sunlight). alternate - leaves on alternate sides up a stem. biotic - living things in an environment (e.g. plants, insects). biodiversity – the sum of all variation of life forms within a specified area. bract - a modified leaf associated with flower bearing structures. climate - average weather of a place over an extended period of time. community - a group of actually or potentially interacting organisms (living things) in a specified area, linked together by their network of influences on one another. compound leaf - leaves that contain many leaf-like “leaflets” that are separated from one another at the base of the main leaf.
28 dioecious - species that contain individuals of only one functional sex, such as male or female. The flowers of a given individual are unisexual and are either male or female. ecology - the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment. ecosystem - all of the living organisms and the corresponding physical environment in a specified area. endemic- a species that is only found in a particular geographical area. epiphyte - a non-parasitic plant that grows rooted on another plant. For example, many species of orchids and bromeliads are epiphytic. family - a taxonomic category of related organisms ranking below an order and above a genus. A family usually consists of several genera (plural of genus). genus - a taxonomic group functioning as an assemblage of different species. The taxon genus ranks below family and above species. hemi-epiphyte - a plant that begins life as an epiphyte, but sends roots to the ground as it grows to take up water and nutrients from the soil. leaf arrangement - the manner in which leaves are arranged on the branch of a plant.
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leaflet - one of the individual leaf-like units that are part of a compound leaf. life zone- a geographic region or area defined by its characteristic life forms. lobe - an anatomical projection of a plant that is generally rounded. microclimate - the climate of a small, specific place within an area as contrasted with the climate of a larger area which contains many microclimates. opposite - two leaves at a node, on opposing sides of the stem. petiole - the leaf stalk that supports a leaf blade and connects it to the node. population - all of the individuals (e.g. one fig tree or one hummingbird) in a specified area (e.g. in the greenhouse). propagation- the process of spreading to a larger area or greater number. pseudobulb - a swollen bulblike part of an orchid stem, generally occurring above ground where water and nutrients are stored. scientific name - names of a worldwide classification system for identifying living things; names are listed in
30 italics with the genus and species; the genus is capitalized. simple leaf - a singular leaf, as opposed to a compound leaf that has many distinct leaflets. spadix - modified inflorescence; the flowers are sessile and densely packed along the axis and subtended by a spathe. spathe - a modified inflorescence that surrounds or subtends a spadix. taxa- a taxonomic group of any rank or type. taxonomy - the systematic organization of organisms in to taxa, or groups, based on shared characteristics. Common taxa include kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. venation - characteristic distribution and arrangement of vascular tissue (veins) in the leaves of plants. weather - the temporary and changeable state of atmospheric conditions such as wind, temperature and rain in a given place.
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