Puallinia spp - Guarana
Posted by The Lorax in December 12, 2008
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Guarana, growing in the Amazon below El Coca, Orellana Province. A trailing or climbing vine with striking flowers, Guarana is common to the Amazon basin, especially in Brazil, and are also cultivated for their high-caffeine beans, which are as much as three times higher in caffeine than coffee beans. Guarana is a common additive in energy drinks, and very popular in Peru and Brazil where it is cultivated on a large scale. The Brazillian Guarani tribe give their name to the plant.
Potentilla indica - False Strawberry
Posted by The Lorax in December 1, 2008
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Potentilla indica (formerly Duchesnea indica), growing near Guarumal Grande, Pichincha Province. This is an introduced plant, normally native to Asia, which has become a noxious weed in many parts of Ecuador. Although it resembles a true strawberry, it is distantly related and comes from a different genus altogether, and can be easily distinguished by its yellow flowers. The fruits are edible, although they are not terribly sweet. Propagation is by seed or by cutting a stolon.
