Collection trip: Perú, November-December 2007
Participants: Eric Tepe, Stephen Stern, Segundo Leiva, Mario Zapata, José Mateo, and María Paz Moreno
This five-week trip to Peru was focused on collecting Solanaceae on the eastern slopes of the Andes, one of the richest areas in the World for Solanum. We were based in Lima at the Herbario Nacional (USM), and got a lot of help from the staff there. The first week was spent in and around Oxapampa, where the Missouri Botanical Garden has a project and a regional herbarium (HOXA). Collecting in this area was very fruitful, thanks to the help of José Mateo from HOXA. We then spent a few days collecting near the coast and the high Andes, before heading North to the city of Trujillo. The rest of the trip was spent with Segundo Leiva and Mario Zapata, from the Museo de Historia Natural at the Universidad Privada de Antenor Orrego (HAO). Segundo is a Solanaceae specialist and his help was invaluable as we collected over the Andes and into the Amazon Basin. Highlights from this part of the trip included the rarely collected S. angustialatum and S. chamaepolybotryon.
Solanum-filled hills near Chatarra, Oxapampa. We stayed at this
rustic
field station and collected for three days.
Eric, José Mateo, and María Paz at HOXA.
Waterfall near Yuncullmas, Oxapampa.
Lunch time: César the chofer opening his can of tuna the macho way.
José and Eric pressing plants by candlelight.
Coca tea at 5000 m.
The imposing Huascarán, 6768 m.
The top of the 3000 m descent from Celendín to Balsas, Cajamarca.
“That’s the road?!?”
Segundo Leiva collecting a new species of Solanaceae in Tingo.
Curious locals. Segundo and Stephen with S. wendlandii.
Mario told her that we were shamans!
Solanum nemorense from the Alto Mayo area, San Martín.
Eric and Mario get help from the local experts in Buenos Aires.
The bizarre fruits of S. chamaepolybotryon.
Segundo, Mario, and Stephen pressing plants.
Success! Stephen, Segundo, and Eric celebrate after
collecting a
spiny Solanum after a long hike.
