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  • Macfadyena unguis-cati (L .) A. Gentry

    Cat's claw

    This vine produces tendrils resembling the claws of a cat. Its flowers are yellow. Its long thin fruit may be up to 1 m long.

    Plant form
    Vine, climbing shrub
    Family
    Bignoniaceae
  • Calathea lutea (Aubl.) G.F.W. Meyer

    Cigar Calathea, Cigar plant

    This plant grows to 2 to 3 m. Its attractive leaves are 50 to 100 cm long and 25 to 60 cm wide. Its inflorescence consists of several spikes 10 cm long with red-brown bracts and yellow flowers.

    Plant form
    Herbaceous terrestrial plant
    Family
    Marantaceae
  • Theobroma cacao (Linnaeus)

    Cocoa tree

    This small tree reaches its full height of 4.5 to 7.5 m after 8 to 10 years of growth. A young tree may grow 0.9 to 1.5 m before its first branches appear.

    Plant form
    Broadleaf tree
    Family
    Malvaceae
  • Astrocaryum alatum Loomis

    Coquillo palm tree, Coquito palm tree

    This attractive spiny-trunked palm tree can reach 1.5 to 8 m in height and 10 to 17 cm in diameter.

    Plant form
    Palm
    Family
    Arecaceae
  • Ficus costaricana (Liebm.) Miq.

    Costa Rica strangler fig tree

    This is a mid-sized tree that can reach 30 m. Its trunk is often hollow, with the centre representing the space left by the host tree that has rotted away.

    Plant form
    Broadleaf tree
    Family
    Moraceae
  • Chamaedorea costaricana oerst.

    Costa Rican bamboo palm

    This palm grows in clumps, reaching 3 to 8 m. Each trunk is 2 to 8 cm across and bears from 4 to 6 long palm leaves, 1 to 2 m long, with 20 to 26 leaflets each. Its fruit is black.

    Plant form
    Palm
    Family
    Arecaceae
  • Dieffenbachia daguensis Engl.

    Dagua river dumb cane

    This approximately 1.2 m tall plant produces about ten large, leathery, oval leaves, borne on a fairly long stalk.

    Plant form
    Herbaceous terrestrial plant
    Family
    Araceae
  • Tillandsia bulbosa Hook.

    Dancing bulb

    This stemless epiphytic plant forms dense colonies on trees. Its leaves are normally longer than its inflorescences and are covered in tiny, thin, red or green scales.

    Plant form
    Herbaceous epiphytic plant
    Family
    Bromeliaceae
  • Flat-leaved vanilla

    Flat-leaved vanilla

    Flat-leaved vanilla is a species of climbing orchid native to the neotropics.

    Plant form
    Herbaceous climbing plant
    Family
    Orchidaceae
  • Spathiphyllum friedrichsthalii Schott

    Friedrichsthal's peace lily

    This sturdy plant, without an obvious stem, grows over 1 m tall. Its leaf stalks are 30 to 60 cm long. Its leaves are 28 to 70 cm long and 7 to 22 cm wide.

    Plant form
    Herbaceous terrestrial plant
    Family
    Araceae
  • Passiflora quadrangularis L.

    Giant granadilla

    This robust climbing plant grows to a height of 10 m. Its stems are squarish, and its tendrils allow it to cling to trees and shrubs.

    Plant form
    Herbaceous climbing plant
    Family
    Passifloraceae
  • Heliconia aurantiaca Ghiesbreght Ex Lemaire

    Golden dwarf heliconia, Yellow heliconia

    This plant can grow to almost 1.5 m. Its large leaves are opposite. Its terminal flowers are hermaphroditic, each with male and female flowers.

    Plant form
    Herbaceous terrestrial plant
    Family
    Heliconiaceae