Dendrophthora fortis Photo by Jerry and Linda Harrison   Although mistletoes are familiar to many for their significance in European cultures, from ancient Norse mythology to modern Christmas traditions, they reach by far

Cannonball Tree Couroupita guianensis Photo by Jocelyne Pelletier.   The “cannonball tree,” so called for the appearance of its large, round, woody fruits, is a member of the Brazil nut family (Lecythidaceae) native

Cecropia Cecropia spp. Photo by Jerry & Linda Harrison   Cecropias are some of the most conspicuous Neotropical trees, identifiable by their thin, pale trunks and large, lobed leaves. They are typical of

Panama Tree Sterculia apetala Photo by Raúl Arias de Para   Declared the official National Tree of Panama in 1969, this species is a typical component of a wide range of forest habitats

Yellow Dancing Lady Orchid Oncidium stipitatum Photo by Jenn Sinasac The genus Oncidium is a large, recognizable group of tropical orchids, containing approximately 330 species. This medium-sized, epiphytic orchid is found in the

Scaly Tree Ferns Cyatheaceae Photo by Jerry & Linda Harrison Scaly Tree Ferns look like something out of Jurassic Park—in fact, they are ancient plants and originated in the late Jurassic. They are

Rush-like Flatsedge Cyperus luzulae Common in wetter areas around Panama, the Rush-like Flatsedge is a clump-forming, grass-like perennial member of the sedge family, Cyperaceae. It typically grows 20-50 cm tall, with the tallest

Sensitive Plant Mimosa pudica The Sensitive Plant is a creeping herb in the Fabaceae family. It has long, prickly stems that can grow to 1.5 meters in length, and has compound, bipinnate leaves

Tropical Milkweed Asclepias curassavica Photo by Jenn Sinasac Commonly known as Tropical Milkweed, Scarlet Milkweed and Blood Flower, this plant is a member of the family Apocynaceae, the dogbane family. The genus Asclepias

Vanilla Orchid Vanilla spp. Photo by Diego Bogarin Well-known and very popular for its sweet aroma and flavoring, the Vanilla Orchid is the source of our commercial vanilla extract and perfumes used very