This was our last opportunity to dry our soaked camping gear (JL)

We finished pressing the plants and waited for Charles MacKenzie, the plant inspector from Jamaica's National Environmental Planning Agency (NEPA) who had worked with us on August 15. Charles arrived and inspected the last batch of federally listed plants we were planning to export. After the inspection we had an early lunch together before the expedition team headed out into the field.

Jason, Jennifer, D'Owen, and Georgia went on one last excursion to find a burgundy-flowered species of Portlandia that only D'Owen had ever seen. This genus is known for its large, showy, trumpet shaped flowers in shades of pink and white. A burgundy colored form has never been described, and we were eager to collect it for study and cultivation.

Kristie and I remained at Windsor, drying, organizing, and packing our gear. I had paperwork to do, assembling a list of all that we had collected in accordance with the terms of our permit.

When Jason, Jennifer, Georgia, and D'Owen returned after a few hours in the field, we were eager for news of what they'd found. They reported that they could not find the original site in which D'Owen had seen the Portlandia. Unfortunately he did not have GPS coordinates for the locality, and the trail had become very overgrown in the three years since he'd originally seen the plants. He couldn't pick out the path.

Fortunately, since the Forestry Department was doing some survey work in the region, there is a GPS record of the locality in their files. We may ultimately be able to track down the coordinates on a future trip. In the meantime, D'Owen, promised to return on his own and report to us any new sightings.

Although the Portlandia eluded us this time, the team did pick up some other interesting species, including an attractive yellow flowered Hamelia, related to the Florida-native firebush. Kristie and I pressed the specimens that the team brought back, and I continued working on the list well into the night.

Ian and Delroy securing our water and gear on Gladys (KW)

We got up at the crack of dawn, downed some coffee, and piled in the car: Ruffy, Jennifer, Jason, Kristie, and myself. We stopped along the way to pick up Ian and Delroy, and bumped our way along the road until the truck could go no further on the rocky incline.

Fortunately we got a tip from Sugarbelly that there was a shortcut we could take on a road that looked off limits, but was actually public and open to everyone. It would shave over two miles off our hike. Just before we reached the end of this road, we picked up Gladys, our donkey. She was calmly waiting for us, her big ears raised, as if in salute. We were all immediately smitten with her.

Ian and Delroy jumped out of the truck and began to lead her up what they called "long mile hill," the first part of our journey. We were able to start the ascent in the truck, but we didn't get very far. As fate would have it, we started our hike at the very point we had reached on foot on a previous visit to Jamaica. Getting there last time required an arduous hike of more than an hour. We thanked Sugarbelly again for saving us that first leg of the trip.

Jason leading Gladys over difficult terrain (KW)

After loading up Gladys and shouldering our own large packs, we slowly made our way up the hill. The trail climbed through a long stretch of old growth forest and it was great to see so many large, old trees. Eventually we started to descend until we reached the bottomlands; the vast majority of the trail winds through the cockpit bottoms where it is much easier to make a path.

Our plan was to select a hill off the trail and to set up transects to compare forest composition on different aspects and elevations of the hill. We were aiming to get deep into the heart of Cockpit Country to see how the vegetation compared to better known sites along the periphery. George Proctor, the country's most authoritative botanist, told us that there were few botanical records from this region, and none from along the trail we were taking, so we were eager to see what we'd find.

As the sun climbed higher, we eventually reached the point where Rumpy and Ian had stopped clearing and a little further ahead we came to our first serious obstacle. An enormous sweetwood tree (Nectandra, in the same family as bay leaves and cinnamon) had fallen across the path. Gladys on her short, spindly legs would not be able to make it across, and there was no way she could walk around. Discouraged, we chided ourselves for not packing a chainsaw, and as we considered our options, Ian decided he would try to hack through the log using only his machete. We stared in disbelief as he pounded away at the cut, as if he had a robotic arm. Gladys stood by calmly, indifferent to the tremendous show of effort made for her benefit.

Ian using a machete to clear a fallen log from the path (KW)

In about twenty minutes Ian had hacked the enormous log in two, and he, Rumpy, Jason, and Delroy shoved the it out of the way so we could lead Gladys through. Soon we encountered other, smaller logs, and Jason hacked through the next one.

The going was getting pretty rough, and finally we reached a small clearing by a giant clump of bamboo that must have been planted at least fifty years ago. The bamboo reminded us that there is no such thing as an undisturbed forest in Jamaica- people have been everywhere on the island!

At the southern end of the clearing were several logs across the trail, and there was no way we could have hacked through them. For Gladys, and for us, this was the end of the trail. We decided to set up our camp there, taking advantage of the relatively even ground and the availability of a makeshift wicker and bamboo table that had been made by other campers before us. This had apparently been a site where wicker was harvested for commercial use in furniture and baskets.

As we unloaded our gear, the clouds started to gather, so we quickly set up our tents and a couple of large tarps to create a roof under which we could cook and sleep. The rain came just as we finished setting up- a strong “man” rain, which in Sugarbelly's terminology refers to a hard, driving rain of short duration, as opposed to “woman” rain, a light rain that goes on throughout the day. We had lunch and waited out the rain, and then we set off to start working on the transects.

Our campsite in the heart of Cockpit Country (KW)

We selected a hill about a kilometer south of our campsite, one that was less obviously impacted by human disturbance. We began the slow, steady work of measuring out our plots, 50 x 2 meters, on the difficult, rocky terrain. We sent Rumpy ahead to mark the plots with plastic tape, and next went Jason and Jennifer to gather data about soil/leaf litter depth and to make estimates of the percentage of rock cover in each transect. Kristie and I measured the diameter of every woody plant over 2cm in diameter and estimated tree heights. With the help of Ian, who proved to be an adept tree climber, we collected a voucher specimen of each species as a lasting record of the plants we measured.

I took notes about epiphytes and other herbaceous plants, and Jennifer and Jason worked the hill to do general collecting of any interesting plants in flower or fruit. We worked through the rest of the afternoon until the rains came back and then we headed back to camp.

Hoggy, another local field assistant that we had worked with last time we were in Jamaica, was waiting for us at the camp. He is also a great tree climber and very adept with a pole pruner, so we had asked him to meet us. We were all glad to see him.

We lit some low, smoky fires to keep the mosquitoes away and prepared a frugal dinner consisting of beans and quick-cooking couscous. The Jamaicans had never tried couscous, and it became a joke for the rest of the trip. Gladys was nearby, munching contentedly on the saplings and herbaceous plants of the cockpit bottom. We set up some hammocks under the tarp and turned in shortly after dark.

Today's climb was one of the most challenging (JL)

The team, which included Dr. Lauren Raz, Jennifer Davit, Kristie Wendelberger, Dr. George Proctor, his assistant Patrick, our guide Rumpy and myself, decided to return to the locality where the elusive Buxus arborea occurred in the past. We had to wake up at 4AM again to allow enough time for a good search before the noon rains. Two new members joined us today from the University of the West Indies, Patrick Lewis, Curator of the Herbarium, and a graduate student, Phillip Rose.

The base of the hill is clay and it has rained daily, so the ascent was very slippery. This slippery terrain gave way to loose, jagged karst limestone that gets your attention quickly. About twenty minutes into the climb we picked up two more members, Paul and Pamela, who both live on the farm at the bottom of the hill.

As we carefully made our way through the forest, trying to look up for the Buxus and down for our footing, I was filled with mixed reactions. The forest at this locality is beautiful but it was clear that this beauty would be fleeting. Evidence of yam pole harvesting was beginning to appear. This went against earlier thinking that yam cultivation was not common in this area.

In between carefully placed steps we were able to collect several neat plants, highlighted by Tournefortia staminea, a Jamaican endemic species and Salpixantha coccinea, a monotypic Jamaican endemic genus. Both may prove to be great introductions to the FTBG living collection, assuming that they grow from cuttings.

Jason on the rocky hillside

After another hour of searching we decided that it was lunch time. Mmmmm, peanut butter sandwiches. Over lunch we learned that our friend Paul was the one responsible for cutting down the trees for yam poles. It turns out that he would prefer not to harvest from the forest, but the alternative, bamboo, is expensive. It may last two to three times longer but he just can't afford it. I wanted to be mad at him for destroying the forest. How can you be mad at a person who is just trying to feed his family, and someone so nice?

You may have noticed that there hasn't been any mention of the Buxus arborea lately. We didn't find it. Still lost. The mid-seventies was the last time this species was collected, by Dr. Proctor himself. It is possible that the species is now extinct.

The 86 year old Dr. Proctor did not accompany us on the hike today. It seems to me that he lives for those moments when he gets to look over the specimens collected in the field. George's mind is like an encyclopedia. He can tell you when he first saw each species, even if it was over 50 years ago.

When we did finally descend the hill, the rain was catching up to us. We knew we had to leave but Paul wouldn't let us. First he needed to go into his farm and collect ears of fresh corn, pumpkins, bananas, alligator pears (avocado) and june plums as gifts for us. Like I said, what a nice guy.

The corn, in case you were wondering is not sweet corn. Sweet corn won't bear in Jamaica because it is a long day plant, and the days in Jamaica are too short. Congratulations, Ohio! You may not be able to grow mangos, but you've always got sweet corn.

Church in the town of Quickstep (JL)

Lauren and Rumpy in the field (JL)

Within minutes of my arrival in Jamaica, D'Owen Grant, a veteran forester for the Jamaica Department of Forestry, began talking to me about Cinnamodendron "grantii," one of the lost species the Fairchild team was hunting for in Jamaica's Cockpit Country. After hearing about this lost species for 2 days, I was certainly anticipating today's hike. Today was finally the day we were setting out to find this lost species. Fortunately D'Owen and his colleague Alvin, the forest warden for the area, had been monitoring the species and knew where we would be able to find this hidden gem.

There was, however, one huge obstacle that was out of our control: the weather! The past few days we had been chased out of the forest by thunderstorms. Being stuck in Cockpit Country in the middle of a huge thunderstorm is not something I would recommend. The treacherous terrain is composed of jagged karst limestone that is difficult to navigate even in the best of conditions. Trails through areas of red clay soil become extremely slippery when wet. For our own safety, we wanted to avoid being stuck on a trail in less than optimum conditions.

To ensure a successful trip, we rose before the cows, roosters, and donkeys, at 4 am! Fortunately D'Owen, Alvin, and Rumpy agreed to this early departure. After loading up the truck with our supplies for the day, we headed out in the darkness to begin our search for Cinnamodendron "grantii."

We drove for 2 hours and then passed through the town of Quickstep, where we picked up Alvin at Quickstep Square. The formal road ended and we picked up a Forestry Department Service road that we followed for another 45 minutes. We were now ready to begin hiking into the woods, under a clear sky nonetheless.

Jennifer wrapping cuttings collected in the field (KW)

Jason packing the seeds and cuttings (KW)

Fortunately our early start allowed us enough time to take another look for the Antirhea tomentosa, which we were not able to find the previous day, before heading down a separate trail where the Cinnamodendron "grantii" was said to be growing. Unfortunately our search for the Antirhea tomentosa again proved fruitless, but we were amazed to find many other Jamaican endemics that both Fairchild's horticulturists and conservationists were thrilled to find.

We now were ready to head in search of the legendary Cinnamodendron! D'Owen and Alvin were anxious to head down the trail, as they sensed imminent rain. They said the plant's location was only 3 chains away. A chain is a Jamaican unit of measurement equal to 66 feet, so were expecting a short hike about 200 feet. After 30 minutes of strenuous hiking, we realized the plant's location was certainly farther than we expected. We were now hearing thunder and hiking under gray skies. We were also practically running through the woods so we could get to the plant in time.

We finally reached the location and we thrilled to not only see the famed Cinnamodendron "grantii," but to find fruit! Since this plant is not formally described yet, we needed to get as many plant parts as possible in order to be able to identify this new species. Luckily Alvin is a superb climber, and he ascended the tree with bare feet in a few seconds so we could get a specimen to press for a herbarium voucher.

We then quickly made our way out of the forest as the raindrops began to fall. I was fortunate to also pick up some Blechnum occidentale, a gorgeous Jamaican fern with a bright pink new leaf.

We drove home to Troy, thrilled to have seen one of Jamaica's lost species with the man for whom it will be named.

A vasculum keeps specimens fresh until we press them (HKJ)

While Christie and Kristie were not having a good day, Lauren and I probably had the best day of the expedition so far!

Accompanied by Dr. Proctor, Dowan, and Rumpy, we returned to the location we visited on August 8 to look specifically for Exostema orbiculata, noticeable because of its almost circular leaves.

At 86, Dr. Proctor's eyesight is unfortunately not so great, and he certainly cannot climb the Cockpit hills, but his memory is super sharp and he can point out the exact locations where he found many of these plants 50 years ago.

Heliconia caribaea, the first record of the Heliconiaceae in Cockpit Country (HKJ)

Before we reached the hill du jour, we found a beautiful fern on the side of the road, and that's when Dr. Proctor introduced me to a vasculum -a shiny metal box used to store plant collections while in the field. This is what they used in the early part of last century, before plastic. Truly a collector's item.

Next we made an exciting find. A wild Heliconia caribaea with a large yellow inflorescence! This is the first time a Heliconia has been spotted in the Cockpit hills, so now a whole new family can be added to the list of flora in the Cockpit Country. This is also personally exciting for me, since I am in charge of Heliconias at Fairchild. The petiole of the piece that I collected for cultivation already grew an inch between the time we collected it until now as I write this blog!

Then Dr. Proctor pointed out the right hill for the Exostema. We grabbed our plastic bags (modern-day vascula), and started the hike.

We ended up finding THREE of the lost species! We found 33 individuals of the tree Spathelia coccinea, another Tillandsia trelawniensis, this one with a branching inflorescence, and the Hohenbergia cf. gnetacea. We also found more of the Columnea hispida, a lost species we found on the first day in the field, but until now did not have enough to collect for cultivation.

Since each one of us on the field team today found a Lost Species, we were going for bonus points for whoever found the Exostema. We did not find it on the first climb up the hill, so we descended and found another entry point to the same hill further down the road. With no luck on the second try, we descended again. Still determined, we tried one last foray into what Dowan and Rumpy have now christened "Doctor Razor Hill" after Lauren's new nickname. But unfortunately, after thoroughly examining each and every circular-leaved plant on the hill, the Exostema still eluded us. However, it was still a spectacular day and it is heartening to know that many of the species that have not been documented for 35 to 50 years, are still in existence, and that this part of the Cockpit Country is still pretty much intact.

Field of banana and yam plants (KW)

Yam sticks, probably harvested from adjacent forests

We got up bright and early this morning to climb a privately owned hill in the New Road District of the Cockpit Country. The owners of the hill gave us permission to climb in search of the lost species Eugenia laurae, which as not been seen since 1964.

We have all been amazed and appreciative of how friendly the local residents have been. After about 10 minutes of asking around, we found some guides to help us clamor up the limestone outcrops and slippery bauxite slopes. Local guides often know the plants and specific medicinal and cultural uses, information that we note and include in the documentation of the Jamaican flora.

We found vegetation similar to what we saw during yesterday's climb. Unfortunately, this hill has had heavier impact by yam stick gathering. Yam farming is an important cash crop in the Cockpit Country. Yam, a climbing vine in the Dioscoreaceae family, requires a pole for support. Jamaican farmers turn to the forest to collect these sticks by cutting down medium sized trees and staking their crops.

Slowly, Jamaican farmers are being trained in the use of bamboo, a sustainable yam stick alternative. In the mean time, however, they continue to climb private hills in search of native trees for yam sticks. The Forest Department patrols National Forest Reserves for yam stick gatherers and issues penalties ranging from small fines up to 20 years of hard labor, depending on the tree species cut.

We found many Eugenia species on the hill, but they were not in flower or fruit. We need flowers or fruit for the positive identification of most Eugenia species including the lost Eugenia laurae. Perhaps winter is a better time of year to find this species reproducing, all the more reason to return to Jamaica in the future.

Steve "Rumpy" Palmer blazing a trail (HKJ)

Our delicious meal of ackee and saltfish (HKJ)

After climbing down from the hill we went back to the house to meet Dr. George Proctor, the most knowledgeable and prolific expert on Jamaican botany. Now working as a botanist for the Institute of Jamaica, Dr. Proctor has been exploring the hills and crevices of Jamaica for over 50 years on a personal quest to know every plant species. He was on several of the expeditions that first discovered the species that are now lost, so his collaboration on this expedition is invaluable.

We taught Rumpy to collect DNA samples and process plant cuttings. He has worked hard to keep us on schedule. Not only has he proved himself invaluable in the field, he has also been more than happy to accompany us to Christiana, the nearest large town, to buy supplies and food. His watchful eye and attentiveness has kept us safe and prevented us from paying too much at the market. Thanks Rumpy!

Tonight John introduced us to the island's national dish, ackee and saltfish. Ackee, (Blighia sapidia, Sapindaceae) a tree native to Africa, has a pendulous red fruit that is used in local Jamaican cuisine. It has a mild taste that mixes well with cod (saltfish). Once again we are thankful to have our own personal dinner chef who can open our eyes to other aspects of the Jamaican culture and remind us that the plants are delicious as well!

Lauren Raz and Kristie Wendelberger pressing plants in the field (HKJ)

Today we climbed a hill that the Fairchild team visited on March 31. It was a steep and rugged climb, and at times we were scaling vertical walls. The beautiful and breezy ridge top made it all worthwhile! We could see farms and orchards cutting into the natural forest. However, it was heartening to observe local farmers maintaining some of their land in a natural state, leaving opportunity for Jamaican endemic species to remain abundant.

We collected several Tillandsia species, including Tillandsia adamsii, one of the lost species. Finding three lost species in less than one week's time confirms our belief that species surveys throughout the island are needed to understand which species are truly in jeopardy of extinction and which have not been seen in over 40 years merely due to a lack of surveying.

We made it a short trip in the field today so we could come back to process the backlog of plants we have collected over the past five days. The material includes propagules we will grow at Fairchild, and some that will be shared with the Windsor Research Centre and the Forestry Department of Jamaica, two of the collaborating Jamaican partners in this project. The plants will be used in future restoration projects.

The remaining plant collections are being preserved as herbarium specimens, valuable tools needed to build knowledge of the Jamaican flora. Fairchild botanists and researchers throughout the world can use the specimens for hundreds of years of future conservation projects.

We must press each herbarium specimen between newspaper and cardboard to prevent molding and preserve characteristics needed for identification. We had a lot of material to press! We are collecting three samples of each species, one each for the Institute of Jamaica, the University of the West Indies, and Fairchild.

We ended the day, as every day, at Miss Chilly's house, where her brother John wowed us with his cooking skills and special jerk sauce. Too bad I have never met an American man with such well developed cooking and domestic skills.

Dowan Grant, Senior Forester and Dendrologist, Jamaican Forestry Department (HKJ)

The team hiking in Cockpit Country (HKJ)

Early this morning, we met Dowan Grant, Senior Forester and Dendrologist with the Jamaican Forestry Department, who really knows his plants. The Forestry Department is happy to have our botanical expertise in the Cockpit Country because a thorough understanding of Jamaican flora will help them in the restoration and mitigation of bauxite mining.

Our plan was to explore the vicinity of Troy, a classic collecting locality where many Jamaican plants were described early last century. There are numerous species in Jamaica only known from this original collection from which those species were described.

We had two locations in mind based on the historic information. In particular, we were looking for Euphorbia elata, a species that is very poorly known. There are very few collections of it, and those collections are over 100 years old. This Euphorbia is the ivory-billed woodpecker of Jamaica's flora.

While we were not fortunate to find Euphorbia elata today, we did see many endemics, including the genus Hoehenbergia, which has a large radiation in Jamaica. It is ecologically significant in that they are huge bromeliads that house entire ecosystems.

Lauren Raz with Columnea hispida, one of Jamaica's lost species (HKJ)

Devon Farqueson, forester in Troy (HKJ)

Hohenbergia in flower (HKJ)

Devon Farqueson, the local forester in Troy, and Steve "Rumpy" Palmer, our field assistant, met us at 8 am outside the house. We drove to the field to begin our search for lost species. Using information from old herbarium specimens, we selected a location that was once rich in unusual plants.

As we drove the road turned from paved to dirt, to grass, and finally to shrubs, until Kristie could barely see out the windshield. It was at about this point that we parked the truck and continued by foot.

It couldn't have been more than five minutes of walking before we saw a Hoehenbergia inflorescence just off the trail. While Kristie and Lauren made an herbarium specimen from it, Christie and I continued off the trail searching for more plants. We passed many Tillandsias and pretty orchids and then . . .

Our first lost species: Columnea hispida!

We continued collecting for a while and found other exciting plants, including Euphorbia punicea. Then we went home for some great grub and a few winks of sleep.

George Proctor helping with identifications

After breakfast, Dr. Proctor joined us under the bunkhouse porch to sort the specimens we have dried. The dryer has been adequate. Mike Schwartz, talented mason, carpenter and owner of Windsor Research Center, constructed a herbarium dryer before our expedition began. It is located in a giant doghouse, built for a giant dog. Mike and Sue's Great Dane, a sweetheart named Quart, took the eviction well. She had effortlessly found a place on the veranda of the great house, with her blankets and squeeze toys.

The only problem with the dryer has been its size. The team has collected so many specimens that we've run out of room. We have to periodically check the plant press and take out any dry specimens to make space. We took the opportunity of having a famous plant explorer look over the goods.

George puts names on plant specimens with incredible speed. Even better, he tells us how and where the plants grow. He's been all over the Caribbean, so if something we collected also grows in Grand Cayman, he lets us know. George collected a lot with Robert Read, one of Fairchild's first scientists. They were the main contributors to C. D. Adams' classic field book, Flowering Plants of Jamaica. George's Flora of the Cayman Islands is being reissued this year, with recent updates.

George continues to work with the help of his "reading machine", essentially a giant magnifier. His work ethic and enthusiasm are inspiring. He also never loses his good humor. After supper last night, when we head off to press the day's collections, he mentioned our departure as "a pressing engagement."

In the afternoon, the team drove George back to the airport for his flight home to Kingston. George travels light, with a bag for his field clothes and his vasculum, a light metal case shaped like a loaf of bread. For a typical day in the field, George fills his vasculum with a bottle of ice water wrapped in newspaper, two peanut butter sandwiches, pruners, a short machete, and maybe a few plastic bags for live material.

George’s plant press is one he borrowed from a high school classroom in Kingston over fifty years ago. After about 50,000 plant collections, he offered to return it. The school's director said that it was his to keep. The press is metal and he says, "heavyish", but it loads easily. I have no doubt that George is an extremely fast plant presser in the woods, a true artist. He recommends the Kingston Observer as the best Jamaican newspaper for pressing specimens.

As we said our farewells, George looked at Ruffy, our guide, nurseryman, and botanist in training, and said, "I'll see you next time." I suspect they will be in the field together soon. Afterward, we headed to the beach, as any good spring breakers do. After a Red Stripe at the Buccaneer, we dipped our toes in the Caribbean and watched the sunset. Jetliners cruised over our heads toward the airport next door, but we didn't mind the noise.

For some hopeful reason, we thought the saltwater would salve the mosaic of tick bites around our lower legs, and we were willing to stand there until we felt justice. The "grass lice" of Cockpit Country are at their worst this time of year as the dry season is ending. These small ticks, the size of a pinhead, cluster in groups of hundreds on the tips of leaves, waiting for their hosts to brush by. They prefer cattle, goats and donkeys, but humans are acceptable. They are satisfied to chew in hidden places like the gap between two toes.

Sugarbelly swears that the best defense against ticks is to drink a shot of white overproof rum before going into the woods. It also helps to have another drink after returning home. If only we had known this survival technique last week.

Thrinax parviflora var. parviflora, a spectacular palm spotted near Barbecue Bottom Road

The Windsor roosters called us out of our sleep before we set out for some of the hills in Cockpit Country. George Proctor determined our itinerary for the day. Our first stop was Mango Tree Hill near Alberttown, where the national yam festival is held every April. George pointed us towards the trail and mentioned some of the plants we'd be likely to find at the top. Unfortunately, the hill had been decimated in the two years since George had last visited. Local folks had been busy cutting poles from small trees for yam cultivation. These yamsticks are used by farmers all over the country, and any wooded area near a road is under pressure from cutting. We managed to find an endemic Lonchocarpus tree with gorgeous purple flowers on Mango Tree Hill, but the site was so degraded that we spent little time there.

George was a bit surprised about the state of the hill, but he had other special spots for us to visit. As we bounced down Barbecue Bottom road, George pointed out places where he had discovered new species in the 1950's. Even with fading eyesight, George could make out the contours of hills that he considered old friends. "You've got to go up that one!" he'd shout. "It's never been explored." He estimates that it will take an additional 50 years to fully explore the flora of Jamaica. We could tell that he was overjoyed that we were doing a small part of that work, and that he was out in the field with us.

Ruffy, Jamie, and the thrill of a successful expedition

At Ramgoat Cave, (which has neither rams, goats, nor caves, according to George) we botanized at one of the spots where many Jamaican endemics were first discovered.

Barbecue Bottom Road was originally cut through the hillsides for a railroad that was never built. At a recent Jamaican conference about Cockpit Country, George proposed that the government finally build the railroad. He believes that ecotourism could be the key to protecting Cockpit Country.

As we continued collecting by car, bringing specimens to George for identification, we drove by piles of freshly cut yamsticks. Without intervention, it is very likely that the forests surrounding Barbecue Bottom Road will be denuded within a generation.

One of the last sites we visited had a sheer cliff where years before George had discovered a new species of cactus, a Mammillaria. He sent us to see if the cacti were still growing there. We couldn't find any. We intend to someday.

George Proctor and the team ready for a day in the field

Renny, our guide (right), and a group of his neighbors who joined the hike

We began the day meeting the legendary Dr. George Proctor at the airport. George is Jamaican botany. He came to this island 57 years ago, as a graduate student to study fern diversity, because, as George is fond of saying, "one good fern deserves another." He was so excited about what he found here that he never went home. He is the most prolific collector in the history of Jamaican botany. He has described numerous species, including some of the very ones we are hunting on this trip. No one knows the Jamaican flora better than George, and fortunately for us, he is happy to share his knowledge.

From the airport we headed to the Pelican restaurant in Montego Bay where we had our first plate of ackee and salt fish. Afterwards we took off for the field, and along the way George told us much about the history of Jamaican botany. He discussed his life's work at the Institute of Jamaica (IJ), a natural history museum and cultural center that houses the largest herbarium on the island.

The IJ herbarium is one of the most important Caribbean collections in the world. Much of it was personally collected by George, or else acquired by him through strategic purchases. The herbarium has many specimens from late 19th and early 20th century collectors who worked in Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and the Lesser Antilles. Having access to these early collections gives us a window into what the flora was like in past centuries. It is from these records that we are able to identify those species that have not been documented since they were first collected: the lost species.

The hill we climbed, photographed from the village below

Fairchild is currently involved in an effort to digitize the IJ herbarium, together with the herbarium of the University of the West Indies: the result will be a Virtual Herbarium of Jamaica.

Today George guided us to an isolated hill in the southern part of the Cockpit Country, the original locality for some of our lost species. George has been going there for decades to document the plant diversity. It looks like a Pacific atoll in the middle of an agricultural sea. We see jagged limestone pinnacles sticking out at the top and steep cliffs all around. We ask, “How on earth are we supposed to get up there?”

George is now 86 years old, and although he is in good health, he was not up to the steep climb that awaited us, but he said he'd find us a guide. We pulled over onto the side of a residential street near the point where we would depart, and George walked up to one of the houses and came out a minute later accompanied by an old man with a white beard and a machete in his hand. "This is your guide, Renny," he said. "I've known him for 45 years. He'll take you up the hill." A group of teenage boys came out of some other neighboring houses and joined our group. George said he'd wait for us in the parlor of a friend's house, and he wished us luck as we took our first steps up the trail.

Inflorescence of Agave harrisii

We weaved our way through some yam vines and suddenly a cliff was right in front of us. We had a near vertical ascent ahead of us, but under the sure guidance of Renny, and with a few helping hands from the local kids, we made it to the top.

Agave harrisii on the rocky hillside

At the top we found a botanical wonderland. I felt like a kid in a candy store. There was such a bounty of spectacular plants we didn't know where to begin: bromeliads, plumerias, orchids, oh my! The crown of the hill was ablaze with the spectacular endemic Agave harrisii in full bloom. We saw humming birds whizzing in and out of the yellow flowers to drink the nectar. Euphorbia punicea with its striking red bracts was also there to greet us. Some of you may know this plant from cultivation, but we have new reverence for it, seeing it up here at 2000 feet, clinging to the edge of a razor sharp limestone cliff.

As we made our way among the jagged rocks, to collect specimens, the kids got into the act too, pointing out flowers to us. We spent about two hours botanizing the summit, and although we were reluctant to leave this beautiful spot, we were eager to report to George what we had found.

I can't imagine a better day: working with one of my heroes, climbing a mountain, and re-collecting lost species in paradise. When I was a kid I never imagined I could get paid to do things like this. I hope we inspired this group of Jamaican kids to think about what's possible for them.

Flower of anchovy pear (Grias cauliflora)

We spent a great day exploring Cockpit Country and helping our partners from the University of the West Indies and the Institute of Jamaica collect specimens for their herbaria.

The entire team, nine of us total, set out on the Quickstep Trail. We decided to climb Panchapan, the first large hill we found. The slopes were covered with sharp limestone talus that offered poor footing. The only way to climb was to pull ourselves up by grabbing onto stems and branches. We tried not to touch any Maiden Plum (Comocladia integrifolia), all parts of which can cause a serious rash.

Hoggy with Portlandia coccinea

On the intermediate slopes we found some interesting plants, but it was at the top of the hill in a sunny, exposed spot where we spent most of the day. The crimson-colored bracts of Euphorbia punicea and the purplish flowers of Portlandia coccinea were easy to spot. Less obvious were the fruits of the native sapodilla, Manilkara excisa, forty feet up in the canopy. These three plants were among fifteen or so Jamaican endemics collected on the Panchapan mountaintop alone. The hilltops, even though they are close together, seem to have distinct plant populations. In other words, if you want to see the good stuff, you gotta climb to the top.

Thrinax parviflora, an endemic palm

Hoggy is a terrific tree climber, and with Ruffy manning the extendable pruners, the team was able to collect some specimens growing below us on sheer cliffs, and far above us in the tree canopy. Jamie, Mike, and I scouted material, which we brought to Lauren, Patrick, Keron, and Lawrence for identification. The team placed material in plastic bags, each with an assigned number, to be pressed later that evening. We found palms, bromeliads, orchids, ferns and even a leafless Vanilla vine, all growing in abundance.

The trek down was slippery, yet direct, and we were glad to take a rest under an old Chrysophyllum caimito tree. We feasted on the fresh fruit, locally known as Star Apple, which Ruffy tossed down from above. Back at the trucks, we beat three kinds of ticks off our bodies: small, tiny, and smaller than tiny. We are finding that the smaller than tiny ones tend to stay with us for a while.

Home at Windsor, the team pressed the herbarium specimens into the night, then set them in the dryer/doghouse built by Mike Schwartz.

At supper, we met some bird researchers from the Smithsonian. They pumped us for information about the Cockpit plants, and we found out a few things as well. Even among birds on this small island, there appears to be rapid diversification of species and some hybridization. Endemic Jamaican birds are inextricably linked to the endemic plants, and our fieldwork can help benefit all sorts of bird research. We also learned that turkey vultures feed on rotting coconuts.

Outgoing and incoming team members

Jason and I drove Ken and Christie to the airport after a group photo and fond farewells. On the way we stopped at a souvenir shop to look for a cutlass for Christie's burgeoning machete collection, but to no avail.

On the return drive, Jason and I found the population of Calyptronoma occidentalis palms growing right along the edge of the Martha Brae river. It was great to see these palms in habitat, as they can be tricky to grow in Miami. We realized that these big palms need fresh, running water to thrive.

Sugarbelly, a member of the Windsor Research Centre staff

Christie and Ken left us with a great foundation, having constructed a nursery shadehouse last week. They sent a diagram of a rudimentary mist bench to indicate the parts we should bring from Miami. Some of the local plant species that will be used for reforestation will be best grown from cuttings, so a low-maintenance misting system is essential.

With an arsenal of irrigation parts from several Miami hardware stores and pieces of pipe, wire, bricks and wood found on the Windsor grounds, Jason, Ruffy, Sugarbelly and I began building the system. Our two main problems were low water pressure and desiccating winds. We dealt with the low pressure by refining Christie's original design, focusing the mist heads into a small triangle. We decided that it is better to mist a smaller area well than to have a weak system.

We worked hard to repair leaky joints, and by late afternoon we had a functional mist area. Thank goodness for Teflon plumber's tape and the extra washers we brought down. By dusk, we felt we had a working nursery. Happily, we think we have found Windsor's nursery manager. Ruffy is a quick study and very enthusiastic. Jason taught him how to program the battery-operated irrigation timer, and we will have a propagation workshop later this week.

Christie's diagram of the parts needed for the new mist system

As a short-term solution to the desiccation problem, we used a tarp as a windbreak. Unfortunately the winds in the Cockpit are so unpredictable, blowing in through the nearby valleys, that a more permanent wall will be needed to prevent the plant cuttings from drying out.

While we were perfecting the mist, Lauren and Jamie began surveying forestry plots with Patrick Lewis, Herbarium Curator at the University of the West Indies: Keron Campbell, from the Institute of Jamaica; Lawrence Nelson, Director of Research of the Forestry Department; and Hoggy, our local guide. One of the goals of this project is to identify candidate species for reforestation. In the plots, basic data on forest structure and composition were collected. Many low areas of the Cockpit are recovering from intensive logging, and these plot inventories help us to understand natural regeneration. The team found many interesting plants, including Breadnut, Cherry Bullet, and Lauren's old friend Dioscorea polygonoides, the Bitter Yam.

At supper we were joined by some cave explorers. We learned that the Cockpit is home to some of the greatest spelunking in the world. My favorite caveman story was about a cave called the Inferno, named for the heat produced by the massive amount of bats living in its largest chamber. Cavemen typically travel 150 meters a day when exploring a new cave. While botanists sometimes move at a slow pace, I'm sure we'll be able to travel faster than that.

Christie Jones and Ken Neugent attaching shade cloth to the nursery

The nursery with fence and shade cloth installed

Ruffy preparing the mist bench for painting

Ken and Jamie traveled to the airport in Montego Bay to fetch the next wave of Fairchild team members. Mike Davenport, Jason Lopez, and Lauren Raz will take the reins as Ken and I head back to Miami tomorrow. Our collaborators from the Institute of Jamaica and the University of the West Indies also arrive today.

Ruffy and I stayed at Windsor working on the nursery. We managed to finish tying down the shade cloth and are quite proud of how it turned out. As I write, Ruffy is painting the wooden table that we will use as a mist bench. Jason and Mike will help with the final assembly, and then the nursery will be functional.

I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment in this wonderful country. I leave with hopes that the expedition will continue to yield exciting discoveries about the flora of Cockpit Country.

Ken Neugent beside a young Calyptronoma palm

Jamie Gordon taking a closeup photo of Calyptronoma

Ruffy, Ken, Jamie, and I set out this morning on a mission to discover new plants on the southern side of Cockpit Country. We drove two hours around the mountains to the trailhead at Troy. As an illustration of the inaccessibility of Cockpit Country, that two hour drive brought us to a point just 5 miles south of Windsor.

We met up with our guide Paul and began hiking at a slow, steady pace, observing everything around. The beginning of the trail led us through farmland including some fields that are in use and others that have been abandoned. We walked through hillside pine plantations that are covered so thickly with ferns that nothing else has a chance to get started.

We reached well-conserved, diverse forest within an hour. It seems that the large timber trees were long since removed, leaving smaller trees to become the next giants. From all that we have seen and heard, this is the scenario for most or all of Cockpit Country. Lumber is harvested selectively without clear-cutting.

The trail connecting the towns of Troy and Windsor was not at all disappointing. We saw several exciting species for the first time in addition to many of the same interesting plants. Again, there were several interesting ferns. It seems every time I looked down there was a new fern species at my feet. We saw nice melastomes, anthuriums, bromeliads, etc.

The most exciting find of the day was a Calyptronoma palm. We didn't recognize it at first because it did not look exactly like the Calyptronoma we saw on the Martha Brae River. We studied it carefully and took many photos, and then we drove more than two hours to the population on the Martha Brae River for comparison. Our observations suggest that there is a high degree of variation among populations of Calyptronoma occidentalis in Jamaica.

On the road back we stopped in Albert Town to get some Barbecue with coconut flavored rice and red beans on the side. Delicious! We sat on a stone wall, watching the cook dance and tend his grills on the side of the road. Across from us was a wall of speakers 10 feet tall, blasting reggae for all to enjoy. Folks were gathered around listening and moving to the music. It was a nice Sunday afternoon in town.

To round out the day, we stopped in the town of Sherwood-Content to play dominoes. The game is one of the country's favorite pastimes. Throughout the island we see small roadside bars with groups of enthusiastic people playing dominoes. We watched a game already in progress and then tried our hands at it.

The first rule of dominoes in Jamaica: The louder the players, the better the game. It's important to slam the pieces down when making a good play. After one game we were all addicted.

Bananas and a flowering Tabebuia rosea on a roadside

The first thing on the day's agenda was to find Paul, the guide who will take us into the heart of Cockpit Country tomorrow. It was remarkable how easily we found him. We knew how to find his hometown and that his house would be the last on the right. As we narrowed in on him, all we had to do was tell people along the road "We're looking for Paul." They just pointed and said, "Straight ahead" or "Last house" I don't think anyone has given us bad directions the whole time we have been here. The people of Trelawny Parish are friendlier than anyone we have encountered before.

We found Paul and made plans for tomorrow. He will be our guide as we hike through the mountains on trails that are rarely traveled. We hope to see species of plants that we haven't seen in the other areas of Cockpit Country.

A beautiful Euphorbia found growing above a cliff

After our visit, Ken, Jamie, Ruffy and I embarked on journey number two up Barbecue Bottom Road, this time in the opposite direction. The road is rugged, cutting through the eastern part of Cockpit Country. It was no waste of time. We probably saw twice as much today as before. Ruffy was helpful in telling us the local common names of many of the trees. With that information, we were able to find species names quickly in our identification books.

The most exciting plant, from a horticulturist's perspective, was a beautiful Euphorbia standing stately above a steep cliff. The red bracts around the flowers were a showy deep crimson and even caught Jamie's attention. In fact, he was the one who spotted the plant. We'll make a horticulturist of him yet.

We sampled more of the local goods available in the markets. Jerk Vienna sausages and Chee Zees (like Cheetos) are our favorites. The grocery stores are an adventure all to themselves. It is fascinating to see what products are used here and how they are packaged and displayed.

I think Ken should become a politician in Clarks Town. The residents have already approached him with a few of their concerns. First is a street sign that has been missing for a year and a half. The other problem is the poor street drainage. Ken has been sympathetic and offered helpful advice, but he hopes we can bypass the town tomorrow so he can focus on our expedition instead of local politics.

Evaluating the experimental reforestation project at Linton Park Mountain

We spent most of the day at Linton Park Mountain, where Mike Schwartz and Susan Koenig of the Windsor Research Centre are conducting an experiment. They are studying ways to involve the local community in reestablishing natural forest. They have worked with community members to devise a forest regeneration plan that integrates everyone's goals and ideas. Community members also helped plant trees the experimental plots, a process that began several months ago.

Today we visited the Linton Park experimental plots with Jamaican Forestry Department Senior Researcher Lawrence Nelson. We all evaluated progress in the plots and discussed ways to proceed with the experiment.

After a late lunch, Lawrence, Jamie, and I took a walk in the forest at Windsor to decide how to set up plots for surveying the woody vegetation of Cockpit Country. Meanwhile, Ken and Ruffy worked between rain showers to erect the newly purchased shade cloth over the nursery.

Now we are sitting in anticipation of another delicious dinner. Ken is stargazing and enjoying the lightening bugs, which are enormous and orange here. Jamie and Lawrence are discussing cricket (the sport). And I'm here updating the blog on my laptop once again. Dinner bell . . .

Unidentified Melastomataceae

Today was the most exciting day yet. Ken, Jamie and I headed out straight after breakfast to explore the trail from Windsor to Troy. It was an easy trail to traverse with lots of great flora to discover. Probably most impressive was the incredible array of ferns.

Among the plants we saw: Thrinax parviflora, Pharus latifolilus, Coccoloba latifolia, and Comocladia pinnatifolia. Interestingly, the Comocladia sap stains clothes jet black (which Jamie demonstrated for us on his white shirt). Also, its presence is an indicator of disturbed habitats (this area was previously a patchwork of farmland and logged forest).

Roystonea altissima emerging from the forest canopy

We followed the trail for about 2 kilometers, and are now enthusiastic to follow it all the way across Cockpit Country. That's the plan for Saturday.

After lunch, we made a quick run to Falmouth. That was a lesson in patience. You drive 45 minutes to reach a computer which may or may not have internet access. Needless to say, there was no access yesterday.

Christie Jones photographing Portlandia grandiflora

On we trudged to what could have been the closest place to horticulturist heaven in Jamaica - Barbecue Bottom Road. Ken and I had a ball. It seemed something caught our eye every few yards. What did we see? Bauhinia divaricata, Portlandia coccinea, Roystonea altissima (emerging like royalty from the canopy below), an unknown Apocynaceae (similar to Allamanda), lots of Thrinax parviflora, an incredible Melastomaceae (yet to be identified). Jamie, with his keen eye for beautiful plants, pointed out a nice Datura. I thought twice about even looking when Jamie called us over. I'm glad I did look. It was no Datura. It was the most beautiful Portlandia grandiflora perched on a limestone cliff and blooming like there's no tomorrow.

When you are traveling in a foreign country you have to learn to go with the flow. Things don't always happen exactly as you expect, but somehow it works out. We hadn't planned to go to Barbecue Bottom Road, but our frustration over poor internet service was transformed into a plant hunter's delight. I won't offer more detail, but we have learned much about patience and strategizing to go with the Jamaican flow.

Ken and Ruffy spreading soil to be sterilized

The plastic sheets, sealed with duct tape, allow the soil to bake in the sun

A bromeliad we encountered frequently

The nursery is taking shape. We have all the planning complete and are nearly finished with the setup. Now we are just waiting for a few key items to arrive in Jamaica.

We have decided the most practical soil mix for the garden should be made of locally available materials. Therefore, we invented a potting mix of sterilized soil and wood shavings, both of which are readily available on site. The wood shavings will also be used in place of perlite (which is still in detention at the customs house) for a medium to root cuttings.

Ken and I worked with Raymond "Ruffy" Lewis, a member of the Windsor Research Centre staff. We shoveled dirt into the bed of the pickup truck and brought it to the coffee drying patio just beside the nursery. We spread it thinly, removed plant debris, moistened it, and covered it with a black plastic sheet. Hopefully it will be sterilized rapidly under the baking Jamaican sun.

The road back to Windsor

Ken and I drove to Montego Bay to fetch the materials detained by customs since Monday. Ken was reduced to begging for the plastic locker and was ready to leave behind the sphagnum and perlite. It became clear that our supplies would not be released today, so we decided to spend the rest of the day looking for palms.

Tiny Calyptronoma seedlings in the leaf litter

So off to the Calyptronoma site we went after sending the daily blog update. The rafting village folks were kind enough to let us explore their part of the riverbank; however, they forgot to mention the naked man washing his clothes in the shade of our dear palm tree (there is entertaining footage to accompany this bit of the story). We discovered 10 more palm trees and 14 seedlings.. The naked man remained our landmark on the return trip to the truck.

We explored some more, ate a yet another delicious dinner, and that, my friends, is the end of day three.

The Windsor nursery area

Calyptronoma occidentalis on the bank of the Martha Brae River

We are pleased with the progress made by the team today. After a delicious breakfast, we went behind the house to check out the nursery area. A good foundation already exists. Our job will be to clean debris from the ground cloth, cover part of the area with shade cloth, and set up a mist area for cuttings. We will train two Windsor staff members in nursery procedures (including soil treatment and mixing, watering, weeding, etc.).

The team spent the remainder of the morning out in the field, giving our field equipment a test run. We were satisfied with the results. One of the plants we found was a juvenile Roystonea palm. It was in deep shade at the base of a tall cliff, and it was a delightful surprise to find that first palm.

Later, Mike Schwartz helped us set up the newly constructed plant dryer. As of blog deadline (7:00pm), our first test of the dryer was underway. We'll see how it goes and report back.

Jamie Gordon and Ken Neugent in the field

We spent the afternoon in Falmouth, tracking down some much needed supplies for the nursery. Along the way to town, we discovered several specimens of Calyptronoma occidentalis growing along the Martha Brae River (200 meters south of the bamboo rafting launch site). We hope to go back to the site to search for more trees of this species. More details will follow as the story develops.

For now, it's off to learn more about Cockpit Country from Mike Schwartz.

An update on Ken's driving: His left-handed gear shifting skills have improved, though he did forget once or twice to drive on the left side of the road.

Windsor Research Centre

Living quarters at Windsor

Ruins overgrown with vines

Ken Neugent and I had a smooth flight to Montego Bay, though our landing was a bit delayed. We circled above the airport while officials dealt with a runaway dog on the landing strip. Luckily, the dog was captured and detained quickly.

After picking up our hired truck (which was the easiest thing we did all day), we headed to the port to obtain the supplies we shipped to Jamaica before our trip. Reaching the port and clearing our supplies through Customs were difficult but not insurmountable tasks. In short, I now know how to navigate the streets of Montego Bay better than most of the locals. Ken is now a taxpayer in Jamaica.

We drove in the dark from Montego Bay to the Windsor Research Centre in the heart of Cockpit Country. The directions in our hands were impeccable and we made the drive through the mountains without a single wrong turn. Ken did well driving on the left side of the road, though I can't say much for his left-handed gear shifting skills. It was a shame to miss seeing the countryside, but we suppose the surprise will be all the better when we wake in morning surrounded by paradise.

We met up with Jamie Gordon and Mike Schwartz (our host) at Windsor a little after eight o'clock. They had spent the day in Kingston meeting with our counterparts in this expedition (Institute of Jamaica, the Jamaican Forestry Department, and the University of the West Indies). We rounded out the night with a delicious dinner and wonderful conversation.