TRIP DAYS 1 and 2 (3/27-28):

We stayed our first day and a half at Hotel Bougainvillea in San Jose, Costa Rica. This is one of the many paths around the 10-acre property.

Cuban Buttercup
(Turnera subulata)
Growing in a drain in the parking lot at Hotel Bougainvillea

Flame Lily
(Gloriosa superba)

Goldshower
(Galphimia gracilis)

Redvein Abutilon
(Callianthe picta)

Redvein Abutilon
(Callianthe picta)

Thornless Crown of Thorns
(Euphorbia geroldii)

The 10 acres of plantings at the Hotel Bougainvillea were lush and artistic, like this vertical planter. When we got home and looked at the photo, we realized it is in the pattern of a butterfly (or 'buttermoth,' as the group came to call uncertainly-identified lepidopteras).

A close-up of some of the plants in their canvas bag planters

On the opposite side of the wall was a heart made from bromeliads.

Jaboticaba
(Plinia cauliflora)
Mary found this striking tree with flowers coming out of the bark.

Jaboticaba
(Plinia cauliflora)
Close-up of some of the flowers

Agapanthus and huge begonias

Part of the view from our 2nd floor balcony at Hotel Bougainvillea. Those bromeliads are 6' tall.

An egret sculpture in the garden

Silk Floss Tree
(Ceiba speciosa)
The spiny bark of the ceiba tree

The bromeliad heart at a distance

Shaving Brush Tree
(Pseudobombax ellipticum)

Marmalade-Bush
(Streptosolen jamesonii)

Rough-leaved Cats-Whiskers
(Rotheca myricoides)

Coral Tree
(Genus Erythrina)

iNaturalist couldn't decide what this plant was with the yellow cluster of berries.

TRIP DAY 3 (Wed, 3/29):

Genus Vochysia
On the grounds at Drake Bay Wilderness Lodge, the flowers were covered with butterflies--or moths

Soursop
(Annona muricata)
At Drake Bay Wilderness Lodge

Trip Day 4 (Thu, 3/30):


Trametes menziesii on a fallen log in Corcovado National Park

Trametes menziesii

Pepper Plant
(Genus Piper)

Monkey's Comb
(Amphilophium crucigerum)

Laurels
(Family Lauraceae)
Food for curassows and other seed eaters

Sensitive Plant
(Mimosa pudica)

Sensitive Plant
(Mimosa pudica)

Close-up of Trametes menziesii fungus

Fringed Sawgill
(Lentinus crinitus)

Fringed Sawgill
(Lentinus crinitus)

Shingles vine
(Marcgravia rectiflora)

Sore-mouth Bush
(Palicourea tomentosa)

Sore-mouth Bush
(Palicourea tomentosa)

Patterns in the canopy

More patterns

TRIP DAY 5 (Fri, 3/31):

At Drake Bay Wilderness Resort
Spanish Shawl
(Heterotis rotundifolia)

Red clusters of berries we saw on our river boat ride that iNaturalist was not sure about

TRIP DAY 6 (Sat, 4/1):

Strangler Fig tree at a residence on Calle La Barca

TRIP DAY 7 (Sun, 4/2):

Hairy Hexagonia
(Hexagonia hydnoides)
At Carara National Park

Hairy Hexagonia
(Hexagonia hydnoides)

TRIP DAY 9 (Tue, 4/4):
Flameberry (Urera caracasana), in the garden off the deck at Arenal Observatory Lodge

Bracket Fungi
(Family polyporaceae)

iNaturalist thinks this might be Beach Spider Lily
(Hymenocallis littoralis)
On the grounds at Arenal Observatory Lodge

Beach Spider Lily?

Peacock Flower
(Caesalpinia pulcherrima)

Bengal Trumpet
(Thunbergia grandiflora)

TRIP DAY 10 (Wed, 4/5):

Rainbow tree, on grounds at Arenal Observatory Lodge

Rainbow Tree
(Eucalyptus deglupta)

TRIP DAY 11 (Thu, 4/6):

Red Bamboo, on the far right
(Fargesia nitida)
Before leaving Arenal Observatory Lodge

Bromeliads, growing on tree branches

Common Yellow-Stem Fig, at Cinchona, where we stopped for lunch and birds, on the way to San José
(Ficus fistulosa)

Traveller's Palm, along the lakeshore trail at Lake Arenal dam
(Ravenala madagascariensis)

Interesting tree on lakeshore trail, where we stopped on our way to San José

We stopped near the dam on Arenal Lake to look for the Great Potoo and Mary was fascinated by the patterns in the canopy.

Chichicaste
(Myriocarpa longipes)

Angel's Trumpet
(Brugmansia arborea)

Angel's Trumpet, at the Cinchona Soda, where we stopped for lunch and birding, on our return to San José
(Brugmansia arborea)

Yellow Cosmos, at Hotel Bougainvillea
(Cosmos sulphureus)

Rattail, on the grounds at Hotel Bougainvillea
(Stachytarpheta cayennensis)

Barrigon Kapoktree, on the grounds at Hotel Bougainvillea, back in San José
(Pseudobombax septenatum)

Close-up of the bark of the kapok tree

And a closer-up

Mary admired the giant bonsai.