In early May we found a tower of flowers growing out of the side of a liana (woody vine) that had fallen to the ground in some earlier wind storm. So we all stopped to take lots of photographs. Here are a few samples. This is a large liana, a thick woody vine. It climbs high into the tree tops so you rarely even see any leaves. To find this liana on the ground with a spire of flowers in full bloom was unexpected.
Every botanist has a different classification; most call it Bignonia binata. But I estimate it is potentially Bignonia noterophila Mart. ex DC.
Photograph by Nicholas Hellmuth, iPhone 13 Pro Max, May 7, 2022.
Everyone suggests it is Bignonia binata. But Kew says that species is: Amazonia, Caribbean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–540 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Amazonas, Antioquia, Atlántico, Caquetá, Chocó, Meta, Nariño, Putumayo, Santander, Sucre, Valle del Cauca, Vaupés, Vichada. (https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/108602-1).
So NOT listed for Guatemala; but a synonym, Adenocalymma ocositense, is listed for Quetzaltenango, Guatemala
(https://serv.biokic.asu.edu/neotrop/plantae/collections/list.php).
So has the FLAAR Mesoamerica team found and photographed and published a plant not yet documented for Peten? Need to check all the herbaria of Guatemala which are not yet on-line.
Then we found more of these lianas flowering high in the treetops of the far southeast part of Parque Nacional Laguna del Tigre (PNLT). So we are preparing two reports (one on the liana flowers in central Peten; the other report on the liana flowers in PNLT). In these FLAAR botanical reports later this summer we will cite each different botanist as to whether they use the name Bignonia binate or Bignonia noterophila.
Updated June 14, 2022
Previously Posted May 19, 2022
