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Managed
by gracious hosts Pierre and Renee Beaupre, Diquis del Sur is nestled in
nature, just far enough away from the noise of the Costanera highway.
Yet it is within easy driving distance of the local stores in the
village of Ojochal, or on further to the towns of Uvita, Dominical or
Palmar Norte.
In
this 2010 revision of the original plant list, we hope to provide visual
delights with the inclusion of as many photos of the plants of Diquis
del Sur as possible. This plant list is intended as a companion
and compliment to Bernard Cloutier and Anne-Marie Galand outstanding and
comprehensive Bird List for Diquis del Sur.
Our
list is keyed to a Latin or botanical names list, which hopefully avoids
variances in local or common names. The common ordinary version of
a given kind of plant is the "species", abbreviated
"spp." On occasion, plants have synonyms, that is they are
known by another completely different name also. We have included
synonyms where known, indicated by the abbreviation "syn.")
Some plants, through time, often centuries, have been selected for
valued characteristics - large fruit, striking flowers, etc. - and we
refer to these as cultivated varieties, or cultivars, abbreviated
"cv." To carry it a step further, selected
cultivars of a given species are sometimes hand pollinated to enhance
specific characteristics, often striking flowers as seen in iris
(Iridaceae), peonies (Paeoniea) and daylilies (Hemerocallis).
On the grounds of Diquis del Sur, numbered identification labels have
been placed near many of the plantings. The numbers displayed in
the column at the extreme left are keyed to, and serve to identify the
plants on the grounds. In many cases there are duplicate plants on
the grounds - only a few are identified at this time.
While many of the plantings are "ornamentals" - flowering
plants of interest - Diquis does have representatives of the important
historic crops of Costa Rica. These include food crops of Costa Rica,
spices and flavorings, fragrances and oils, construction and
tropical roofing species, plants for biomass production, etc.
As the hilltop site grades into bottomland forest - an edge or ecotone -
there are outstanding examples of native species present also.
Secondary restoration/regeneration from dispersed seeds and the relic
"seed bank" in the soil is evident too. Special
interpreted tours of the site are given with prior arrangement by
resident authority Renee Beaupre.
For those of you with an academic interest in Costa Rica, Diquis is a
perfect Southern Pacific base for your educational or research
activities. The 50,000 acre International Humid Forest (mangrove)
Reserve, fed by Sierpe River on the south and the Terraba River on the
north, is within ten miles (16 km), as is the Marino Ballena National
(maritime) Park. Within a forty mile (68 km) radius you have the
low wetlands of Golfo Dulce Reserve, the paramos of the Talamanca
Mountain Range, and the high mountain of Chirripo at 3819 m.
A diverse range of Life Zones is at your fingertips. (See G. S.
Hartshorn's succinct discussion of Holderidge Life Zone classifications
in Chapter Seven of Costa Rican Natural
History, Daniel H. Janzen, Ed.)
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