From mountaintops to the lowlands

Ms. Abdo and Mr. Rivera of Fairchild take a momentary break beneath a gigantic tree found along a mountain ridge top in the northern range of the island.

A stately Mauritia palm is one of only two in its genus.  This ancient palm reaches its northernmost native extent in Trinidad, and extends into South America.  This particular individual was found in the lowlands of Trinidad adjacent to a seasonally flooded savannah.