These are flowers I have seen recently in the Central Valley. Some of them are from the Park de Este, a half-hour walk from Maria's.
This is ornamental plant is a large bush. I had to stand in the gutter (also the sewer) along the road to photograph it. I was having a lot of trouble with the wind this day, so the picture is a little blurred. Florence thinks it may be a Vibernum. Locally, it is called bailarina which means little dancer, or something like that.
This looks like a big orchid. But it's fruiting body doesn't look orchard-like to me. You can see it in the photo below.
I took a course in botany once, a long time ago, but I don't remember learning anything about this of fruiting body. Can anyone else help me on this?
This looks like a daisy, but it grows on a vine, as shown above. Florence says it is Clematis - and that we have in the US and it is wonderful.
I would say this is some kind of lupine, but it grows on a bush. The whole flower is about three inches long.
OK, these are not flowers. But they perform the same function, and there is a lot more of them. Spores are everywhere, even high in the atmosphere. You are probably breathing in some of them at this very moment.
This is Maria's hand again, and these flowers were in the same yard. Florence says they are a poinsettia. Not the "nursery" variety we buy up here at Christmas time but maybe a native, local variety
Maria and I were standing in the rain when we saw these flowers in someone's yard. She held on to them so I could take a picture. Jane says these are fuchsias.
Bougianvillea flower. It has three petals and it is about three inches across. It is common ornamental, and many flowers grow on a large bush.
Guaria Morado (morado is purple). This is the national flower of Costa Rica. Lots of them grow on a tree.
This looks like a hibiscus, but it is a tree. It comes in many colors and sizes. Some Ticos still go to a lot of work into growing roses, even though they could have beautiful native flowers, like this, for free.
