Belize: Plants and People

 

The nut of a Cohune Palm (Attalea cohune).
Lamanai Archeological Site, Belize. 

On a bird watching trip to Belize this summer I would sometimes lag behind the group and talk to one of our guides about the plants.  They had many stories about plants and how the local people use  them.  Plants have been used for centuries by the Maya and others in Central America for food, construction, dyes and medicine.  

Compound leaves of Black Poisonwood (Metopium brownei).
Rio Bravo Conservation Area, Belize. 

Fruits of Black Poisonwood.
Rio Bravo Conservation Area, Belize. 

Belizeans say if you see a Black Poisonwood (Metopium brownei), you will find a Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba) growing nearby.  The Maya say these trees are manifestations of good and bad, and they are always close together.  The Maya name for Black Poisonwood is Chechen and this small tree is found on Caribbean islands, Belize, northern Guatemala and southern Mexico.  Black Poisonwood is a member of the Anacardiaceae, the same family as Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans).  Black Poisonwood produces urushiol, the same toxin found in Poison Ivy.  Human contact with the bark or leaves will raise a rash of itchy blisters that can last for over a week. 

The compound leaves of Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba)
look similar to those of Black Poisonwood.
Rio Bravo Conservation Area. Belize.  

The peeling bark of Gumbo Limbo,
the tourist tree.
Rio Bravo Conservation Area, Belize. 

But growing near Black Poisonwood you will find Gumbo Limbo, Chakaj in Maya.  It is a small tree with red bark that peels off in strips, giving rise to another common name, Tourist Tree.  Local people say the bark looks like a tourist that spent too much time in the sun, red and peeling.  Gumbo Limbo contains a natural remedy for Poisonwood rash.  Irs bark is boiled in water and the liquid is applied to the sores. Gumbo Limbo contains a number of pharmacologically active compounds and has many uses in traditional medicine.  

The giant leaves of a Cohune Palm.
Lamanai Archeological Site, Belize. 

Cohune Palms (Attalea cohune), Mop in Maya, are giants.  The trees may reach 80 feet in height and single fronds can be more than 60 feet long. Cohune Palms produce nuts that are were harvested by the Maya to extract palm oil and the nuts are favorite foods of small rainforest mammals.  The huge fronds are used in making the thatch roofs of buildings.  At the Lamanai Archeological Site is a palapa, a building with open sides and a Cohune Palm roof.  The palapa’s roof was made of 15,000 overlapping Cohune Palm fronds.  Tradition has it that the best time to cut the fronds is during the full moon.  The Lamanai palapa’s roof was made in 1999 so I am sure these fronds were cut during the proper moon phase.    

Palapa with thatch roof made of Cohune Palm fronds.
Lamanai Archeological Site, Belize. 
Photo by Diane Coggin. 

Interior view of palapa thatch roof.
Lamanai Archeological Site, Belize. 
Photo by Diane Coggin. 

Logwood (Haematoxylum campechianum), Ek in Maya, is a small tree with a significant history. This humble tree played a major role in the Golden Age of Piracy, the textile industry in late Renaissance Europe and medical histology. This member of the Fabaceae has compound leaves with heart-shaped leaflets.  Logwood grows along watercourses and other wet areas in Southern Mexico, Central America and Caribbean Islands.  

Compound leaves of Logwood (Haematoxylum campechianum).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

The wood of Logwood is deep reddish orange and the genus name, Haematoxylum, is derived from Greek meaning blood wood.  A dye, hematoxylin, is extracted from the wood and when combined with other chemicals is used to color fabrics red, blue, purple and even black.  In 16th century Europe, brightly colored clothing was reserved for the elite and logwood for dyes was in high demand.  The long-running wars between England and Spain provided opportunities for English pirates to seize Spanish ships carrying all manner of American treasures including Logwood.  Some English pirates decided to eliminate the middleman and became Logwood cutters along the coast of what is now Belize.  These pirates/Logwood cutters are the reason English and not Spanish is the official language of Belize. 

Wood of Logwood.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

Early microscopists including Robert Hooke, one of founders of the discipline, used hematoxylin to stain specimens.  As microscopes improved, practitioners noted hematoxylin preferentially stained cell nuclei.  Hematoxylin is still used to stain tissues for microscopic examination.  One application is the Pap smear.  This test was developed by Dr. George Papanicolaou in the 1920s and uses several stains including hematoxylin to detect precancerous and cancer cells of the cervix.  In a Pap smear, abnormal cells have larger, more darkly stained nuclei and are easily seen. Countless lives have been saved by Pap smears that have Logwood as a central component. 

Cowfoot (Bauhinia divaricata).
Rio Bravo Conservation Area, Belize. 

Cowfoot (Bauhinia divaricata), Zax-suluv-tok in Maya,  is a small tree found from Mexico to Costa Rica and on some Caribbean islands.  It is yet another member of the pea family (Fabaceae).  The common name of Cowfoot comes from the resemblance of its heart-shaped leaves to the hoof print of a cow.  The genus Bauhinia is well known for producing medicinal compounds. These plants have been traditionally used to treat a wide range of conditions from diabetes to diarrhea to kidney disease.  Our guide told us Cowfoot is used by women for birth control.  According to local sources, Cowfoot tea can be used for 8 months to prevent pregnancy but longer use will cause sterility.     

The spiny fruits of Achiote (Bixa orellana).
Rio Bravo Conservation Area, Belize. 

Red seeds of Achiote in the fruit.
Rio Bravo Conservation Area, Belize.

Achiote (Bixa orellana) or k'uxub in Maya, is a small tree native to the American tropics. Bixa orellana is the source of a dye, a spice and a pigment for body paint. The brown, spiny fruits of Achiote contain many small red seeds.  These are ground into a powder called annatto that is added to a variety of foods to add flavor and color. Annatto is still in use as a natural coloring agent for cheese, ice cream, soup and other foods.  One day for lunch at the La Milpa Lodge we were served a soup made with annatto.  This delicious dish contained chicken, egg, onion, pepper and spices including the ground seeds of Achiote as ingredients.      

In the global north we are largely insulated from what the plants around us have to offer. We have systems of agriculture, medicine and technology that allow us to live in ignorance of plants.  But people in other cultures retain an intimate relationship with their plants.  I am always impressed with this deep knowledge and with what we have lost.  

Belizean guides Roni Martinez and Abimael Moralez.

Guide Amir Reyes. 

I would like to thank our guides; Roni Martinez, Abimael Moralez and Amir Reyes for sharing the wonders of the Belizean flora with us. 

A Sensitive Plant

 

Flowers of Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica).
Palm Beach County, Florida. 

We usually think of movement as an animal attribute, but plants can move too.  Sure, plants move when they grow, they increase in height or diameter, but some can move rapidly in response to a stimulus.  Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica) is an example of a plant with this rapid movement.  Sensitive Plants are members of the pea family, the Fabaceae, and they range through the American tropics and Caribbean islands. They also grow in the Southeastern United States, Africa and Europe.  In the Southeast, Sensitive Plants flower in summer and produce a spherical inflorescence of pink flowers. 

The scientific name of Senstivie Plant, Mimosa pudica reflects its active nature.  Mimosa is from the Greek meaning mime, because the plant mimics the movement of animals. Pudica is from the Latin meaning shy. Another common name for Sensitive Plant is Shame Plant.  The shy and shame in these common names come from the plants ability to quickly close their leaves when touched, as if they want to shrink from sight.  

Compound leaves of Sensitive Plant.
Palm Beach County, Florida.

The leaflets in the center of the photo are 
closing after being touched.
Palm Beach County, Florida. 

Sensitive Plants have compound leaves with many leaflets. Each leaflet has a structure at its base called a pulvinus.  When a Sensitive Plant leaflet is touched, an electrical signal, much like a nerve impulse spreads, across the leaf.  The signal causes the pulvinus cells to lose potassium ions which causes water to leave those cells.  Because of water loss, the pulvinus collapses and the leaflets quickly fold inward.  The signal spreads and a whole section of leaf folds up. 

Video of Sensitive Plant leaflets closing.

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize.

The reason for this dramatic action by Sensitive Plants is to startle herbivores and prevent consumption of the leaflets.  You can imagine a rabbit being surprised by this fast plant movement. But if a grasshopper landed on a leaf it could be thrown completely off.  In addition to movement, Sensitive Plants are protected by spines on the stems. 

These interesting weeds grow along roadsides and in sandy soils.  When you find Sensitive Plant, give it a touch and it will show its sensitivity.  

Birding Belize Part 2

 

Black Catbird (Melanptila glabrirostris).
Caye Caulker, Belize

After our sojourn to the Rio Bravo Conservation Area in northwestern Belize, the Mecklenburg Audubon birders went to the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.  This sanctuary is managed by Belize Audubon and is an area of rivers, lagoons, forests and savannas.  It is situated in the north-central part of Belize.  Our lodgings were at the Bird’s Eye View Lodge on the shores of the Crooked Tree Lagoon, a large freshwater lake and marsh. 

Green Heron (Butorides virescens).
New River, Belize.

We took two boat trips on the New River during our time at Crooked Tree.  The small motorboats we used allowed us intimate views of many birds that make their living along the river.  Herons were abundant with the familiar Green Heron (Butorides virescens) stalking the water’s edge and the large and impressive Bare-throated Tiger-Herons (Tigrisoma mexicanum) hunting fish.  The odd Boat-billed Herons (Cochlearius cochlearius), with their massive beaks, perched in trees along the river waiting for sunset to commence feeding.  

Bare-throated Tiger-Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum).
New River, Belize. 

Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius).
New River, Belize. 

Kingfishers were plentiful along the New River including the beautiful Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana) with its green back and head, white collar and in the males, a red breast.  We saw Russet-naped Wood-Rail (Aramides albiventris) hunting along the bank.  This large rail is found only in Central America and Mexico.  It has a yellow beak, red eyes, a gray head and back, rufous wings and, of course, a russet nape.  Raptors were common along the river including the Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis).  This predator has a hooked beak that it uses to extract snails from their shells.  

Green Kingfisher (Chloroceryle americana). 
New River, Belize. 

Russet-naped Wood-Rail (Aramides albiventris).
New River, Belize. 

Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis).
New River, Belize. 

The Crooked Tree Lagoon is home to many wading birds.  The most dramatic is the Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria).  These giant storks with their white body, black head and red collar, towered over the other waders in the lagoon.  Flocks of Roseate Spoonbills (Platalea ajaja) fed in the shallows and flew overhead at sunset heading to their roosts.   

Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria).
Crooked Tree Lagoon, Belize.

Roseate Spoonbills (Platalea ajaja).
Crooked Tree Lagoon, Belize. 

Mangrove Swallows (Tachycineta albilinea) and Gray-breasted Martins (Progne chalybea) patrolled the air over the lagoon scooping up insects as they flew. Tiny Least Grebes (Tachybaptus dominicus) were common in the lagoon, paddling about and diving for prey.

Mangrove Swallow (Tachycineta albilinea).
Crooked Tree Lagoon, Belize. 

Gray-breasted Martin (Pogne chalybea).
Crooked Tree Lagoon, Belize. 

Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus).
Crooked Tree Lagoon. 

The forests and fields of Crooked Tree also yielded many good birds.  Cinnamon-bellied Saltators (Saltator grandis) with their heavy beaks and delicately colored bellies perched tantalizingly low.  Noisy bunches of parrots and parakeets squawked as they flew by.  Olive-throated Parakeets (Eupsittula nana) are the smallest and most common of these colorful birds.  Sometimes they would briefly perch in the tops of the trees for a few seconds to give us a look. 

Cinnamon-bellied Saltator (Saltator grandis).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize.

Olive-throated Parakeets (Eupsittula nana).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

Vermillion Flycatchers (Pyrocephalus obscurus) were nesting in the area. The males, with their black backs and eye-popping red heads and breasts contrasted with more delicately colored females.  We also found a brilliant orange, black and white Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis) on its impressive hanging nest.  

Male Vermillion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus obscurus).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

Female Vermillion Flycatcher at its nest.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis) at nest.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

A family of three Ferruginous Pygmy Owls (Glaucidium brasilianum) was resting in a stand of oak trees early one morning.  These tiny owls have long tails, streaked breasts and eyespots on the back of their heads.  The eyespots probably confuse predators into thinking they are being watched.  

 

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium brasilianum).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

Ferruginous Pygmy Owl showing  eyespots
 on the back of the head.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

Acorn Woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) were nesting in power poles in the oak forest too.  These black, white and red woodpeckers drill holes in trees, and poles, to store their acorns for later use.  We found a family of Acorn Woodpeckers lined up on a pole near their nest hole.  The Yucatan Jay (Cyanocorax yucatanicus) is a beautiful endemic bird found only in the Yucatan of Mexico and adjacent areas of Belize and Guatemala.  It is about the size of a Blue Jay with a bright blue back, wings and tail and a black head, breast and belly. 

Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) at nest. 
An acorn is stored in a hole above the woodpecker. 
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

An Acorn Woodpecker family and nest.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

Yucatan Jay (Cyanocorax yucatanicus).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

The forests of Crooked Tree had birds that are found throughout the tropics like Black-headed Trogons (Trogon melanocephalus) and White-fronted Parrots (Amazona albifrons).   

Black-headed Trogon (Trogon melanocephalus).
Lamanai Archeological Reserve, Belize.

White-fronted Parrot (Amazona albifrons).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

There were also birds that are endemic to the area like the delicate Rufous-breasted Spinetail (Synallaxis erythrothorax) and Yucatan Flycatcher (Myiarchus yucatanensis).

Rufous-breasted Spinetail (Synallaxis erythrothorax).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

Yucatan Flycatcher (Myiarchus yucatanensis).
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize. 

While most of our group left for home and others went to visit Mayan ruins, Diane and I went with our guide Roni to Caye Caulker, an island off the coast of Belize.  We were in search of birds found only along the coast and others that are endemic to the area.  

Cinnamon Hummingbird (Amazilia rutila).
Caye Caulker, Belize. 

Cinnamon Hummingbirds (Amazilia rutila) are common on the island.  They have a pink bill, green head and back and cinnamon-colored and tail.  Common Black Hawks (Buteogallus anthracinus) feed mainly on crabs they catch in the mangroves.  One of these large hawks was being harassed by a pair of Tropical Kingbirds (Tyrannus melancholicus) trying to chase the predator from their territory.  White-crowned Pigeons (Patagioenas leucocephala) are found from South Florida, through the West Indies and along the Caribbean coast of Central America.  These large pigeons are dark gray with a brilliant white cap on their heads were perched high in Casuarina trees (Casuarina equisetifolia).  

Common Black Hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus) and
Tropical Kingbirds (Tyrannus melancholicus).
Caye Caulker, Belize. 

White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala).
Caye Caulker, Belize. 

Yucatan Vireos (Vireo magister) are endemic to this section of Caribbean coast and Grand Cayman Island.  We found many of these small songbirds in gardens and mangrove stands including one sitting on a nest. The main bird we were seeking on Caye Caulker was the Black Catbird (Melanoptila glabrirostris).  With its narrow distribution I expected the Black Catbird would be hard to find, but on Caye Caulker it was abundant.  They flew between low trees, perched in the open and sang their songs. This beautiful bird is the same size as our Gray Catbird but is iridescent black.  Black Catbirds are threatened by habitat loss in their very limited range.

 

Yucatan Vireo (Vireo magister). 
Caye Caulker, Belize. 

Yucatan Vireo on nest.
Caye Caulker, Belize. 

Black Catbird.
Caye Caulker, Belize. 

Our ten-day trip to Belize brought us views of tropical habitats, diverse mammals, beautiful flowers, striking insects and of course many, many birds.