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If you would allow me I also could show here few photos of orchid in situ (not artificial mounted in a garden) which I took in autumn 2019 when I also visited Costa Rica.
 
Here we go.
I traveled through Costa Rica in November/December 2019. My intension was to see the countryside, landscape, volcanos and orchids. I started in San Jose from where public buses go almost up to the summits of the two volcanos Poas (2.708 m) and Irazu (3.432 m). Then went on to st. Elena/Monteverde where I saw the first orchids in the Orchid Garden of St. Elena. Next day I saw the first orchids in situ in the 'Reserva del Bosque Nuboso Monteverde'. This is situated between 1.560 and 1.735 m above sea level (according to my GPS).
Pleurothallis spec.
05162_19.11.13_St. Elena_Reserva Monteverde.jpg
05163_19.11.13_St. Elena_RM_pleurothallis spec..jpg

Stelis spec.
05226_19.11.13_St. Elena_RM_stelis spec..jpg
 
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Next day I walked from St. Elena to the 'Selvatura Park' with its hanging bridges in the tree tops. The distance is about 6.5 km and I saw some orchids at the edge of the road which I hadn't seen if I had taken the shuttle bus. My way started at 1.340 m asl and the park is situated between 1.600 and 1.650 m.
An unknown, not flowering orchid in trees at the edge of the road.
05235_19.11.14_St. Elena_Parque Selvatura.jpg

Few trees on.......Epidendrum centropetalum in flower.
05236_19.11.14_St. Elena_PS_epidendrum centropetalum.jpg

05237_19.11.14_St. Elena_PS_epidendrum centropetalum.jpg

and in the roadside ditch grew the famos Epidendrum radicans.
05240_19.11.14_St. Elena_PS_epidendrum radicans.jpg05241_19.11.14_St. Elena_PS_epidendrum radicans.jpg

If you like it.....this can be continued.
 
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Brings back fond memories, orchids everywhere. On a side note, the zip lines above El Establo in Santa Elena are world class, with the last part of the circuit going from the edge of the mountain to a TV tower about 0.25 km away. Mike
 
Next day I walked from St. Elena to the 'Selvatura Park' with its hanging bridges in the tree tops. The distance is about 6.5 km and I saw some orchids at the edge of the road which I hadn't seen if I had taken the shuttle bus. My way started at 1.340 m asl and the park is situated between 1.600 and 1.650 m.
An unknown, not flowering orchid in trees at the edge of the road.
View attachment 33997

Few trees on.......Epidendrum centropetalum in flower.
View attachment 33998

View attachment 33999

and in the roadside ditch grew the famos Epidendrum radicans.
View attachment 34000View attachment 34001

If you like it.....this can be continued.
Thanks Guru for your pics, you light back memories up!
Been two times in Costa Rica ('91/'95), it's a wonderful place for any green lover and more so for an orchid extimator.
Did you see the elusive "Quetzal" ( Maya sacred bird) and the multitude of hummingbirds in Monteverde?
Not so easy to score orchids in the lowerpart of the forest as they prefer to stay high up on the trees, at ground level Is so shaded that only few species are present.
 
Thanks Guru for your pics, you light back memories up! ......Did you see the elusive "Quetzal" ( Maya sacred bird) and the multitude of hummingbirds in Monteverde?
Lorenzo, nice that I could bring back some memories to you.
No, unfortunately I didn't see the 'Quetzal' but some hummingbirds. I even pampered up a hummingbird in my hand for 10 minutes or so after she flew against the window pane of my accomodation. She survived without any bodily injury.
05351_19.11.17_La Fotuna_Catarata Rio Fortuna.jpg

05352_19.11.17_La Fotuna_Catarata Rio Fortuna.jpg

Not so easy to score orchids in the lowerpart of the forest as they prefer to stay high up on the trees, at ground level Is so shaded that only few species are present.
That's true. You will find orchids in the rain forest only in the tree tops not in the lower parts of the forest. Solitaire trees are populated by orchids also at the lower parts or at the trunks.
 
i love insitu photos, too
David and Stephen, here thea are.
The next photos are from the 'Selvatura Park' with its hanging bridges/rope bridges in the tree tops. Most of the orchids were too far away to determinate them.
Epidendrum spec. ? in the middle of the photo
05280_19.11.14_St._Elena_Parque_Selvatura.jpg


Oncidium spec.
05281_19.11.14_St._Elena_Parque_Selvatura.jpg

05283_19.11.14_St._Elena_Parque_Selvatura.jpg


Epidendrum spec.
05305_19.11.14_St._Elena_Parque_Selvatura.jpg

closer
05308_19.11.14_St._Elena_Parque_Selvatura.jpg

05309_19.11.14_St._Elena_Parque_Selvatura.jpg
 
Anyone who loves nature should visit CR at least once in their lifetime, and try to check in the eco-lodges...I have been there four times and I still want to visit it in the near future. Thank you all for the photos and stories.
Besides some of the more recognizable orchids, there are tons of Pleurothallids in CR at a mid-high elevation...tons of colorful birds as well. I have seen the elusive quetzal bird a few times but I have not had a hummingbird land on my hands like GuRu...
 
GuRu, the white one is Epi. sp and the yellow one is Onc. species. I used to know the names but I can't remember the names now. If you do a little search on the internet, you probably can identify them.
 
My next destination was the small town 'La Fortuna' situated at the aest base of the volcano 'Arenal' 250 m a.s.l.
First day I walked about 6km to the waterfall 'Caterata La Fortuna' which is situated at about 540 m a.s.l.. Aside the road I saw some orchids in the gardens and few in situ.
Catasetum spec. on a tree trunk
05362_19.11.17_La_Fotuna_Catasetum_spec..jpg


Dimerandra emarginata
05367_19.11.17_La_Fotuna_dimerandra_emarginata.jpg

05369_19.11.17_La_Fotuna_dimerandra_emarginata.jpg

Spathoglottis plicata at the side of the road
05354_19.11.17_La_Fotuna_spathoglottis_plicata.jpg
 
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GuRu, the white one is Epi. sp and the yellow one is Onc. species. I used to know the names but I can't remember the names now. If you do a little search on the internet, you probably can identify them.
Tom if you read my post closely you will find Epidendrum spec. and Oncidium spec.. I couldn't determine the species because a) I'm not expert enough with these generas and b) they were out of reach to do this.
.......I have seen the elusive quetzal bird a few times but I have not had a hummingbird land on my hands like GuRu...
This was a great moment but to be honest.....if you don't see the hummingbird in the palm of your hand you may think there's nothing. They weight almost nothing...just few gram.
 
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Next day I went by public bus to the 'Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal' which is situated abou 650 m a.s.l.. All trail which lead higher up were closed for tourists because of the instability of the volcano. I saw the last orchids in situ within this National Park.
Sobralia spec. at the edge of the trail
05410_19.11.18_La_Fotuna_PN_volcan_Arenal.jpg

also Catasetum spec.
05443_19.11.18_La_Fotuna_PN_volcan_Arenal.jpg

and another Spathoglottis plicada
05451_19.11.18_La_Fotuna_PN_volcan_Arenal.jpg

In May 2010 there was an eruption at the west flank of the volcano and by now the lava field is populated by new plant and also orchids, mainly Sobralias.
This is the lava ground they grow in.
05441_19.11.18_La_Fotuna_PN_volcan_Arenal.jpg

Sobralia spec. in pink
05437_19.11.18_La_Fotuna_PN_volcan_Arenal.jpg

05438_19.11.18_La_Fotuna_PN_volcan_Arenal.jpg

and Sobralia spec in white
05439_19.11.18_La_Fotuna_PN_volcan_Arenal.jpg

05440_19.11.18_La_Fotuna_PN_volcan_Arenal.jpg
 
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The other destinations of my journey, Liberia, Tamarindo, Puntarenas and Quepos were more or less orchid free but nevertheless very interesting ones.
 
The other destinations of my journey, Liberia, Tamarindo, Puntarenas and Quepos were more or less orchid free but nevertheless very interesting ones.
Beautiful pics Guru, thanks!
Those Sobralias are outstanding.
In Quepos and Manuel Antonio I saw Aspasia principissa and several colonies of Brassavola nodosa growing as lythophite straight on the beach.
 

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