Cassia grandis. Tikal, Petén. 2013.
Mesoamerica is one of the most diverse regions in the world both biologically and culturally. This region is occupied by the influence of the Aztec, Mayan, Teotihuacan, Toltec, and Olmec cultures. Here we have more than 19,000 species of flora described, of which Guatemala has around 10,300 of those species. Many of them have significant use in the region, not only for ancient cultures but also for current populations. We have many species with edible, medicinal, commercial, ecological, and scientific importance. Our goal over the years has been to document this diversity and share it with the public so that they can better understand the beauties that this region has to offer.
Selenicereus testudo. Petexbatun, Sayaxché, Petén. Nicholas Hellmuth, 2019.
As a team, we are interested in flora, fauna, and educational research in the Mesoamerican region. We are dedicated to documenting and photographing the flora that has a significant impact and value on the region. Our efforts focused on researching plants that have medicinal, edible, and other significant uses. The current projects that we have been working on in recent years have the purpose of documenting through high-resolution photography the biodiversity of different areas of Guatemala. These have been used to generate photographic reports and educational material on our platforms.
Río Dulce, Livingston, Izabal. Haniel López, 2021.
Yaxhá-Nakúm-Naranjo National Park (PNYNN) is the largest protected area in Guatemala, inside the Mayan Biosphere Reserve located in the north of the country, in the department of Petén. This project started in 2018 and ended in 2019. We have documented and made photo essays with the aim of publicizing the natural resources found in the protected area. We documented a wide diversity of flora in the park, among the most interesting has been the flowering of the wild vanilla orchid (Vainilla insignis Ames) which is believed to have had a significant use for ancient cultures in food and continues to be used today and even synthesized to imitate its flavor. We also found other interesting plants such as a species of orchid with aquatic habits (Bletia purpurea (Lam.) DC.), flowering tree cacti (Selenicereus testudo (Karw. ex. Zucc.) Buxb.), and a species of yellow paintbrush flower (Combretum fruticosum (Loefl.) Stuntz).
You can read more about these photographic reports of the PNYNN in the following link: https://flaar-mesoamerica.org/product-category/yaxha-project/flora/.
Vainilla insignis. Reserva de la Biosfera Maya (RBM), Petén. Edwin Solares, 2022.
We also have been working on the biodiversity documentation in the Main Protected Areas of the Mayan Biosphere Reserve (RBM) in Petén in collaboration with the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP by its acronym in Spanish). This project started in 2021 and will continue until 2025. We have also documented lots of native species such as a species of water flower (Nymphaea ampla (Salisb.) DC.), an edible species of cotton tree (Cochlospermum vitifolium (Willd.) Spreng.), and the differences between the Pseudobombax ellipticum (Kunth.) Dugand and the Pachira aquatica Aubl. flowers. An interesting one is the report of the bromeliad Aechmea bracteata (Sw.) Griseb which has great cultural value in indigenous communities such as its healing properties, it is part of religious ceremonies, and its fibers are used in the creation of tools. This species is also an important host of a wide variety of fauna and has an important function within the ecosystem of the treetops.
Look out for the other flora photographic reports of the RBM project in the following link:https://flaar-mesoamerica.org/product-category/rbm/ethnobotany-rbm/.
Nymphaea ampla. Laguna Petexbatun, Sayaxché, Petén. Nicholas Hellmuth, 2019.
In addition to the department of Peten, Izabal offers a range of recreational activities, is home to numerous nature parks and diverse natural landscapes. It has white sandy beaches, tall jungle-covered mountains, mangrove swamps, seagrass ecosystems, and the Mesoamerican Reef System of the Caribbean Sea. In addition, it has an incredible flora and fauna diversity and three different cultures coexisting (Mayan Q’eqchi, Garifuna, and Ladinos). This makes the department a great destination not only for tourists but also for our team to investigate. In cooperation with the municipal authorities, we have been producing educational material specifically for the Livingston municipality. We have registered species such as the water snowflake (Nymphoides indica (L.) Kuntze), an interesting species of waterlily (Nymphaea ampla (Salisb.) DC.), and multiple species of Heliconia genus. It is worth mentioning that this project has also focused on documenting edible plants of wetlands.
Consult the other flora photographic essays of the Livingston project at the following links: https://flaar-mesoamerica.org/product-category/livingston-project/edible-plants-of-wetlands/ and https://flaar-mesoamerica.org/product-category/livingston-project/plants/
Crinum americanum. Lagunita El Salvador, Livingston, Izabal. Nicholas Helmuth, 2020.
Currently, we have a total of 148 photo essays of the flora, fauna, and ecosystems from these three projects in which we have worked. 41 of them are dedicated to plants with ethnobotanical importance. If you are interested in learning more about the diversity of plants that you can find in Guatemala and that we have recorded in our projects, we invite you to visit our websites to learn more about them through the following link: https://flaar-mesoamerica.org/shop/
Written by Flor Morales Arroyo.
Posted September 18, 2023
Written by Flor Morales Arroyo.
