Red Mangrove
Scientific name: Rhizophora mangle Photo Courtesy: https://www.uusc.org/ Mangroves specialize in land reclamation. They are ‘pioneer’ plants in coastal mudflats and create land out of the void. They are virtually unique in their ability to live with their roots submerged in saltwater. Red mangrove is the most dominant species seen by the casual observer, as it grows closest to the coast. Its intricate prop-root system provides support to the tree in mud and slows water circulation to encourage deposition of silt, so that the mangrove gradually extends seaward. You may also like [smart_post_show id="19584"] ...
Fat Pork
Scientific name: Chrysobalanus icaco Photo Courtesy: https://growtrinbago.agriculture.gov.tt/ A highly salt tolerant evergreen shrub or small tree that can grow up to 2 m along the coast and taller inland. Its alternate leaf blades are rounded, pointed, or slightly notched at the apex, and have a glossy texture. The flowers are small greenish white. The edible fruit is nearly round, pink, whitish, or dark-purple. Its unique flavour, fleshy consistency, and thin skin make it a suitable choice for jams and jellies. The seeds can be roasted and eaten for their almond-like flavour or crushed and added to the jelly. Flowers and fruits are produced throughout the year. You...
Seagrapes
Scientific name: Coccoloba uvifera Photo Courtesy: https://www.tcpalm.com/ Seagrape is a common seaside plant in Trinidad and Tobago and occurs naturally in all of Central America and throughout the Caribbean. It is highly salt tolerant and also grows equally well inland. Seagrape act as a continuous sand trap and dense stands can be an effective windbreak. On exposed shores it grows as a sprawling shrub but in more sheltered areas it can reach 15 m. The leaves are rounded, smooth, with prominent reddish veins, and up to 20 cm in diameter. Throughout the year leaf drop is constant and fallen leaves take a long time to decay....
Indian Almond Tree
Scientific name: Terminalia catappa Introduced from Malaysia and the East Indies, this tree is found in many Caribbean islands. Since it can withstand drought, it is common on sandy shores and makes an ideal shade tree, growing to 15 m. The leaves are alternate, with a leathery texture, glossy and dark green in colour. Leaves are shed periodically, turning bright red prior to detachment. The flowers are small, white, and grow in axillary spikes. The edible fruits are oval and green. Along the coast well above the high water mark, these trees often mix with shrubs creating a forest-like environment You may also like [smart_post_show id="19584"] ...
Donkey Eye
Scientific name: Mucuna sloanei The brown seed known as ‘Donkey eye’ begins life in inland forests borne on a climbing vine with bright yellow flowers, which overgrows other vegetation. The plant produces seed pods about 18 cm (7 in.) long. If the overgrown tree is along a stream bank, the floating seeds may find their way into rivers and get deposited along the coast by the waves and currents.15 Finding Donkey Eye seeds on the beaches of the east and south coast of Trinidad is a regular occurrence and generations of children have used them to prank others as the seeds emit heat when rubbed...
Recognising the Importance of Our Seagrass Meadows
March 1, 2023 marks the first-ever United Nations recognised World Seagrass Day. The day is being commemorated to raise public awareness on the importance of seagrass meadows and to recognise the importance of seagrasses to the health and well-being of the planet, as well as to the people, communities, flora and fauna that rely on them. Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that grow in the intertidal and subtidal zones along shallow tropical and temperate coasts. They are very productive, faunally rich and ecologically important marine resources that provide nursery habitats for several commercially important species such as conch, fish and lobster and a major food source...
