By Melissa Abdo, June 15, 2009
Field reporting contributed by:
Lori-Ann Harris (Institute of Jamaica), Hillary Burgess (Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden)
Monday, June 15, 2009
We are happy to report that the expedition team is finally together in Jamaica, gearing up for another much-awaited expedition to the Cockpit Country. All are eagerly anticipating getting out and into the field! Due to mechanical difficulties, the use of another vehicle is delayed until later this week. However, this may not be a disadvantage just now because we’ve worked out an efficient method of allocating our resources: some persons will stay back to do work from base each day while others will conduct field research. Today the field team will be scouting the area and conducting reconnaissance at our Cockpit Country sites.
Today we are thankful to be joined by Mr. D’Owen Grant, an extremely knowledgeable dendrologist who has conducted extensive work in the Cockpit Country. After breakfast, the lead team will be leaving for their first day undertaking a reconnaissance trip and preliminary field research activities.
We are all excited about the possibility of finally seeing fertile specimens of the Cinnamodendron grantii (ined) that Mr. Grant first discovered. He believes that it is probably in fruit now, but has likely already finished flowering at this time. He is hopeful about revisiting it at one location, and has suggested another favorite Cockpit Country site that he’d like to re-examine as well.
Mr. Grant aptly captured the team’s excitement during breakfast this morning when he said that his blood is ‘tingling from the inside’ in anticipation of what we may find during this botanical adventure.
Botanist Stephen Hodges is right in his element: surrounded by tropical plants while conducting scientific research!
