Flowers and Plants of Trinidad and Tobago #2

This post is part 2 of 3 on the flowers and plants of Trinidad and Tobago. Please see part 1 post to find out more about the terrain that enables the diversity of plant life on the islands (link to part 1 is located at the bottom of this post).

The photos in this post were taken on hikes in the nature reserves or during time spent in the local parks. The tropical climate of Trinidad and Tobago allows for the plant life to thrive all year and I was always amazed at by the beautiful flowers and unusual plants that I encountered.

The flowers and plants that I have included in part 2 of 3 are shown below:

Flowers

Plants

The Dust on My Shoes

Most people probably know very little about Trinidad and Tobago. Chances are the visions that most people have are of steelpan band, calypso music and the annual carnival celebration in Port of Spain (second only to the celebration in Rio de Janeiro).

Trinidad and Tobago are West Indies islands but they have the biodiversity that is similar to South American islands. Trinidad is 50 miles long by 37 miles wide and is dominated by the Northern Range which is mostly a tropical rainforest. The rainforest species lists has recorded 108 mammal, 460 birds, 55 reptiles, 25 amphibians, 617 butterflies and over 2,200 species of flowering plants.

During my time in Trinidad, I tried to experience as much of the natural environment as possible from the beaches to the tropical jungles. My favorite places were the rainforest. There is no other experience like walking through the forest and listening to the sounds of the birds and other animals. There seems to be endless plants and wildlife to see and there is always something moving in the dense vegetation.

I will always cherish the times that I spent in the Trinidad rainforest. Sometimes it is the quiet times in nature that gives us the most pleasure.

Being in the rainforest of Trinidad and Tobago truly is experiencing nature at its purest.