Vivi's Orchid Corner

September/October 2001 - Volume 6, Issue 8

"Costa Rican Orchid Adventures, Article 3"

Dear Orchid Friends:

Daylight comes early. It’s 4:30am and it is light outside. I awoke to a symphony of bird songs on a gorgeous morning. This portion of the trip finds us in the lower section of the Central Pacific Coast.

This is my morning of solitude. My goal was to search for Howler and White-faced monkeys and learn which wildlife is awake at dawn. Alone, I ventured out and hiked the trails. A splendid calmness surrounds me. The dew is heavy. The mosquitoes greet me in this dense foliage. The hike is invigorating; a chance to reflect, contemplate and appreciate all that Mother Nature created. The Pacific Ocean and sky meld together and red clouds glow on the horizon. The dew droplets hang precariously on branches.

Dawn is a special time in the Rainforest. Night creatures have not yet retired and others are just stirring as morning breaks. I hoped to see birds, wildlife, hummingbirds, and butterflies on my early morning hike. Perhaps I will be fortunate to see the coatamondie family again. Golden mushrooms glow on the forest floor.

The exercise feels good - hiking up and down hillsides and slippery slopes. Shhh.. there…a family of White-faced monkeys chatter. I pause to watch their antics. Alarmed by my intrusion, they yell at me as I creep into their territory. The family quickly retreats in the far parts of the canopy as I have interrupted their breakfast.

The air is dense and aromatic. Orchids cling to the moss covered tree trunks and the humid moist air drenches me. Many of these orchids are not blooming and I envision what a spectacular sight it must be when the orchids are in bloom.

As I look up into the tree canopy to admire some butterflies through the dappled sunlight, a distinctive scent wafts on the breeze. Now, the scent becomes quite pronounced. It is unmistakably the scent of a Brassavola nodosa. Also known as the "Lady of the Evening", Brassavola nodosa is my favorite orchid. My excitement builds as I view my lady friend. I truly had hoped to view Brassavola nodosa in the wild while in Costa Rica. Finally! It’s sweet, minty aroma is deliciously pleasing. Where is my lady friend hiding? My eyes search the canopy to locate this special beauty. Aahh… there attached to the tree branches is my special orchid. Breathing deeply, I take in the delicious fragrance. I love the scent of this orchid… I can’t get enough of the perfume. I stand for a long time drinking in the scent.

The Brassavola nodosa is called the "Lady of the Evening or Dama de la Noche" because it is only fragrant at night. After dawn, the fragrance fades until evening once again. It is especially fragrant at full moon. The flowers are heart shaped and are white to greenish- white, sepals have a greener tinge. The leaves are pencil-shaped teretes. The Brassavola nodosa is an epiphyte, effortlessly attaching to trees. According to Dr. Roman Kaiser, a Swiss chemist specializing in floral scents, pollination of the Brassavola nodosa occurs by moths. Brassavolas grow well in warm to intermediate climates.

Throughout my hikes, I have viewed Brassavola nodosas attached to tree trunks and branches, although not in bloom. One can imagine my joy when stumbling across this little beauty. A delightful surprise.

I like the Rainforest. One truly appreciates the wonders of nature when you become a part of the surroundings. On several turns, I can glimpse the Pacific Ocean and catch its fresh breezes. This lookout is the ideal place to rest and let the salt air mingle with the mustiness of the Rainforest.

The forest sounds change as the sun rises higher in the sky. The monkeys have scampered to their hiding places while the birds call and start to flitter. The sun’s rays have energized the butterflies and hummingbirds. My tranquil hike ends. The day is yet young and I have other new adventures to experience and explore today.

Vivi