Field Guide to the Orchids of Costa Rica and Panama

Field Guide to the Orchids of Costa Rica and Panama
Author: Robert L. Dressler
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Total Pages: 428
Release: 2019-06-07
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1501734148

The first field guide to the orchids of Costa Rica and Panama, this book is lavishly illustrated with 240 stunning color photographs and 229 line drawings. It contains keys to all the orchid genera in the region and most of the orchid species. To enable nonbotanists to identify at least the genus of orchids, Robert L. Dressler emphasizes features that can be readily seen with the naked eye or a hand lens. Written in a friendly and accessible style, this guide begins with succinct descriptions of the geography, climate, and vegetation of Costa Rica and Panama, and includes appropriate comments on the peoples and cultures of the area. A discussion of orchid structure and ecology follows. The identification keys are preceded by instructions for use, and a general key directs the user to the appropriate chapter, where condensed descriptions and additional keys narrow the choices for the plants identity. Dressler avoids complex terminology and supplies a glossary of technical terms that will he helpful to those unfamiliar with botanical vocabulary. A short appendix describes how to prepare orchids for study, and summarizes laws that affect plant collectors, and another lists the authors of species names used in the guide. Reflecting the autor's deep and broad knowledge of the orchids of tropical Latin America, this field guide is certain to prove valuable to botanists, field biologists, orchid hobbyists, and tourists interested in natural history.

A Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica

A Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica
Author: Margaret Gargiullo
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 543
Release: 2008-03-20
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 019518825X

At the biological crossroads of the Americas, Costa Rica hosts one of the widest varieties of plants in the world, with habitats ranging from tidal mangrove swamps, and lowland rainforests, to dry tropical evergreen and deciduous forests. Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica is a must-have reference guide for beginner and expert naturalists alike. It provides a thorough survey of more than 850 plant species, each entry accompanied by color photos and a concise yet detailed narrative description. Plants are conveniently grouped by the different types of vegetation: palms, tall trees, shrubs, woody vines, herbaceous vines, herbs, grasses and ferns. Along with 1400 color photographs, the guide also includes an illustrated glossary of plant parts, five maps of Costa Rica, and laminated covers for durability in the field. With so much readily accessible information, this book is essential for exploring Costa Rica's common and conspicuous flora from the plants growing along the roadside to the best natural parks.

Explorer's Guide Costa Rica: With Excursions to Nicaragua & Panama: A Great Destination

Explorer's Guide Costa Rica: With Excursions to Nicaragua & Panama: A Great Destination
Author: Paige R. Penland
Publisher: The Countryman Press
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2008-11-03
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1581579896

"Consistently rated the best guides to the regions covered... Readable, tasteful, appealingly designed. Strong on dining, lodging, culture and history."—National Geographic Traveler Covers all of Costa Rica's hotspots, from erupting volcanoes and white-sand beaches to the cool cloud forests and bustling tropical metropolises. Includes easy day or weekend trips across the border to Granada, Isla Ometepe, San Juan del Sur, Solentiname, the Río San Juan in Nicaragua and Boquete in Panama. As in every Explorer's Great Destinations title, you’ll find helpful information for lodging, dining, shopping, transportation, recreational activities, and special events. The focused and very helpful "If Time Is Short" advice, historical notes, and many maps and photographs make this an indispensable guide. Use it to help you discover all the region has to offer. Includes: history, lodging, dining, culture, recreation, shopping, transportation and more!

Orchids of Tropical America

Orchids of Tropical America
Author: Joe E. Meisel
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Total Pages: 275
Release: 2015-12-15
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 0801454921

Orchids of Tropical America is an entertaining, informative, and splendidly illustrated introduction to the orchid family for enthusiasts and newcomers seeking to learn about more than 120 widespread orchid genera. Joe E. Meisel, Ronald S. Kaufmann, and Franco Pupulin bring alive the riot of colors, extraordinary shapes, and varied biology and ecology of the principal orchid genera ranging from Mexico and the Caribbean to Bolivia and Brazil. Orchids, likely the most diverse family of plants on earth, reach their peak diversity in the tropical countries of the Western Hemisphere, including, for example, more than 2,500 species in Brazil and 4,000 in Ecuador. The book also highlights reserves in the American tropics where travelers can enjoy orchids in the wild. Whether you journey abroad to see these unique plants, raise them in your home, or admire them from afar, this book offers fascinating insights into the diversity and natural history of orchids. Beyond the plant and flower descriptions, Orchids of Tropical America is packed with informative stories about the ecology and history of each genus. Pollination ecology is given in detail, with an emphasis on how floral features distinctive to the genus are linked to interaction with pollinators. This book also features information on medicinal and commercial uses, notes on the discoverers, and relevant historical data. The easy-to-use identification system permits quick recognition of the most common orchid groups in Central and South America. Genus descriptions are given in plain language designed for a nonscientific audience but will prove highly useful to advanced botanists as well. Descriptions focus on external morphology, and great care has been taken to ensure the guide is useful in the field without reliance on microscopes or dissections. Equally valuable as a field guide, a desktop reference, or a gift, Orchids of Tropical America will make an excellent addition to any orchid lover’s library. Visit the website for this book at www.orchidsoftropicalamerica.com.

Coexistence

Coexistence
Author: Jan Sapp
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 297
Release: 2016-10-18
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0190632453

This book is about tropical biology in action- how biologists grapple with the ecology and evolution of the great species diversity in tropical rainforests and coral reefs. Tropical rainforests are home to 50% of all the plant and animal species on earth, though they cover only about 2% of the planet. Coral reefs hold 25% of the world's marine diversity, though they represent only 0.1 % of the world's surface. The increase in species richness from the poles to the tropics has remained enigmatic to naturalists for more than 200 years. How have so many species evolved in the tropics? How can so many species coexist there? At a time when rainforests and coral reefs are shrinking, when the earth is facing what has been called the sixth mass extinction, understanding the evolutionary ecology of the tropics is everyone's business. Despite the fundamental importance of the tropics to all of life on earth, tropical biology has evolved relatively slowly and with difficulties - economic, political, and environmental. This book is also about tropical science in context, situated in the complex socio-political history, and the rich rainforests and coral reefs of Panama. There are no other books on the history of tropical ecology and evolution or on the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Thus situated in historical context, Jan Sapp's aim is to understand how naturalists have studied and conceptualized the great biological diversity and entangled ecology of tropics. This book has potential to be used in tropical biology classes, ecology courses, evolutionary ecology and it could also be useful in classes on the history of biology.

Orchids of Costa Rica

Orchids of Costa Rica
Author: Juan Francisco Morales
Publisher: Editorial INBio
Total Pages: 6
Release: 2005
Genre: Orchids
ISBN: 9968927023

Monteverde

Monteverde
Author: Nalini M. Nadkarni
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 598
Release: 2000-03-09
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0199770972

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has captured the worldwide attention of biologists, conservationists, and ecologists and has been the setting for extensive investigation over the past 30 years. Roughly 40,000 ecotourists visit the Cloud Forest each year, and it is often considered the archetypal high-altitude rain forest. This volume brings together some of the most prominent researchers of the region to provide a broad introduction to the biology of the Monteverde, and cloud forests in general. Collecting and synthesizing vital information about the ecosystem and its biota, the book also examines the positive and negative effects of human activity on both the forest and the surrounding communities. Ecologists, tropical biologists, and natural historians will find this volume an indispensable resource, as will all those who are fascinated by the magnificent wonders of the tropical forests.

Lonely Planet Panama

Lonely Planet Panama
Author: Lonely Planet
Publisher: Lonely Planet
Total Pages: 547
Release: 2016-09-01
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1786573075

# 1 best-selling guide to Panama* Lonely Planet Panama is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Sip coconuts on a Caribbean beach; lay eyes on the awe-inspiring Panama Canal; or hike through sublime cloud forests; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Panama and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet Panama: Color maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - land & wildlife, music, cuisine, arts, politics, history Over 46 maps Covers Panama City, Panama Province, Cocle Province, Peninsula deAzuero, Veraguas Province, Chiriqui Province, Bocas del Toro Province, Colon Province, Comarca de Kuna Yala, Darien Province and more eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Panama, our most comprehensive guide to Panama, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less traveled. Looking for more extensive coverage? Check out Lonely Planet Central America on a Shoestring. Authors: Written and researched by Lonely Planet. About Lonely Planet: Since 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel media company with guidebooks to every destination, an award-winning website, mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveler community. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travelers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. *Best-selling guide to Panama. Source: Nielsen BookScan. Australia, UK and USA Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

Lonely Planet Panama

Lonely Planet Panama
Author: Regis St Louis
Publisher: Lonely Planet
Total Pages: 519
Release: 2022-10
Genre: Travel
ISBN: 1837580464

Lonely Planet’s Panama is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Explore Panama City, surf at Santa Catalina, and dive at Parque Nacional Coiba; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Panama and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet’s Panama Travel Guide: Up-to-date information - all businesses were rechecked before publication to ensure they are still open after 2020’s COVID-19 outbreak NEW top experiences feature - a visually inspiring collection of Panama’s best experiences and where to have them What's NEW feature taps into cultural trends and helps you find fresh ideas and cool new areas Color maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics Over 40 maps Covers Panama City, Panama Province, Cocle Province, Peninsula de Azuero, Veraguas Province, Chiriqui Province, Bocas del Toro Province, Colon Province, Comarca de Guna Yala, Darien Province The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet’s Panama, our most comprehensive guide to Panama, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less traveled. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and phrasebooks for 120 languages, and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travelers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, videos, 14 languages, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more, enabling you to explore every day. 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' – New York Times 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveler's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

Deceptive Beauties

Deceptive Beauties
Author: Christian Ziegler
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 185
Release: 2011-09-02
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 022609863X

Confucius called them the “king of fragrant plants,” and John Ruskin condemned them as “prurient apparitions.” Across the centuries, orchids have captivated us with their elaborate exoticism, their powerful perfumes, and their sublime seductiveness. But the disquieting beauty of orchids is an unplanned marvel of evolution, and the story of orchids is as captivating as any novel. As acclaimed writer Michael Pollan and National Geographic photographer Christian Ziegler spin tales of orchid conquest in Deceptive Beauties: The World of Wild Orchids, we learn how these flowers can survive and thrive in the harshest of environments, from tropical cloud forests to the Arctic, from semi-deserts to rocky mountainsides; how their shapes, colors, and scents are, as Darwin put it, “beautiful contrivances” meant to dupe pollinating male insects in the strangest ways. What other flowers, after all, can mimic the pheromones and even appearance of female insects, so much so that some male bees prefer sex with the orchids over sex with their own kind? And insects aren’t the only ones to fall for the orchids’ charms. Since the “orchidelirium” of the Victorian era, humans have braved the wilds to search them out and devoted copious amounts of time and money propagating and hybridizing, nurturing and simply gazing at them. This astonishing book features over 150 unprecedented color photographs taken by Christian Ziegler himself as he trekked through wilderness on five continents to capture the diversity and magnificence of orchids in their natural habitats. His intimate and astonishing images allow us to appreciate up close nature’s most intoxicating and deceptive beauties.