WenboChen Photography

Nature photographer, passionate about wildlife and natural habitats.

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Gaultheria setulosa, a miniature Ericaceae shrub, grows on rocks where there is almost no actual soil. Cute and tough at the same time! 粗毛白珠 (Mt. Roraima, Venezuela)

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I think this is a Pleurothallis sp., but I can't figure out which one. Can anyone help? （Mount Roraima, Venezuela）

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Drosera hirticalyx is a rare sundew on Mount Roraima compared to D. roraimae. I only found a few small populations throughout the trip (D. roraimae is literally everywhere). You can clearly see the difference between these two species in the last photo, which shows they grow side by side naturally. 毛萼茅膏菜 #floraofvenezuela #carnivorousplant #mountroraima #drosera #sundew

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This is the largest fern I saw on Mt. Roraima; it is clearly a Cyathea species, but I am not sure which one it is. My guess is Cyathea akawaiorum; correct me if I am wrong.

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I thought it was a cucumber vine until it produced these alien looking fruits. Cucumis metuliferus, the African horned melon, originally from sub-Saharan Africa, apparently has naturalised in Australia.

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Ledothamnus is a small genus in the heath family of Ericaceae and this (L. guianensis) is the type species. Compared to other heath plants which produce dense clusters of tiny bell flowers, this species features massive, open-faced single blooms.

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The white-winged swallow (Tachycineta albiventer) is a small, agile bird native to the tropical lowlands of South America, easily identified by its striking glossy blue-green back and large, white wing patches. It is largely non-migratory.

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The high mountains of South America are home to many Ericaceae species, especially the epiphytic type, e.g. this lovely Satyria warszewiczii, which grows in the cloud forest of the Guyana Shield tepuies. It's a facultative epiphyte, though, meaning it can be both epiphytic and terrestrial.

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What a pretty bell flower! The Canary Island bellflower (Canarina canariensis) is a soft vine endemic to the Canary Islands that blooms in winter and stays dormant in summer. Can be propagated by seeds or tuber division, but does not tolerate temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius.

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Palicourea rigida, a robust shrub in the coffee family with leathery leaves and bright yellow flowers occurs in the savanna of South America. It's toxic to mammals but used as a traditional folk medicine.

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This little primate is so successful that it has invaded not only Rio but also Buenos Aires, but it's not its fault. It's originally from northeastern Brazil and was introduced to southeastern Brazil and Argentina by people (through the pet industry). The common marmoset, 普通狨

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The only Puya species I encountered on the way to Mt. Roraima. Unlike many other bromeliads, species in this genus are all terrestrial and can tolerate harsh conditions, such as arid, high-altitude climates in South America.

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The Roraima black frog (Oreophrynella quelchii) is actually a toad and considered a "living fossil" because it belongs to a highly ancient, primitive lineage of amphibians that has survived virtually unchanged for millions of years due to geographical isolation. They don't jump but climb instead. Also, their eggs hatch directly into miniature frogs, skipping the tadpole stage.

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Burmannia bicolor, a little mycoheterotrophic herb native to Central America and northern South America. It can photosynthesise but relies heavily on symbiotic fungi in the soil to obtain the nutrients it needs.

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I figured out that the best time to do bird watching in the Amazon is right after the afternoon storm. Within 10 minutes, I saw two toucan species: white-throated toucan (Ramphastos tucanus) and chestnut-eared aracari (Pteroglossus castanotis).

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This is a smaller Connellia bromeliad on the summit of Mount Roraima (compared to C. augustae). It is a clump-forming lithophyte, almost like a cushion plant on rocks, with bright rose-pink flowers that are pollinated by hummingbirds.

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Drosera roraimae after the rain.