Does anybody have any clue what we're looking at here? It was found, dangling from a fairly slender liana, in the canopy of a tree in Mindo, Ecuador; the forest protector for this region says they're fairly common because her kids use them sometimes for footballs, but she's never been able to figure out what they are because she can't spot the liana before it forms one of these things, and after it's formed one of these things, it drops all of its leaves. This one weighs about 5-6 lbs and is about the same size as a human head. Cutting the edge just exposed a sort of tubery textured stuff, and it's not an insect nest due to the weight and lack of insects - if it were full of ants, for example, damaging it would have brought the whole swarm out. Any clues? The roots on the back seem to be a part of it.
Thanks Beth. Since we don't know the species all I can learn is there are about 3000 species in 100 genera. They produce colorful flowers and are found around the world with the exception Australia according to the sources I found. It appears there are only a few genera found naturally in Ecuador. According to the "Flora of Ecuador" (Luteyn, 1996), their treatment covers the genera Agarista, Anthopterus, Bejaria, Cavendishia, Ceratostema, Diogenesia, Disterigma, Gaultheria, Gaylussacia, Macleania, Oreanthes, Orthaea, Pernettya, Plutarchia, Psammisia, Satyria, Semiramisia, Sphyrospermum, Themistoclesia, Thibaudia, and Vaccinium. The folks at the Quito Botanical Garden may know more. If you learn the species name let us know.
Well, looking at that list I can rule out Cavendishia, Ceratostema, Disterigma, Psammisia, Thibaudia, and Vaccinium - those are all terrestrial plants. I'll have a closer look into the others.
And, Steve, I have to laugh. We may only have a few genera of the Ericaceae represented in Ecuador, but that's over 1000 species, many of which are endemic.
Good luck figuring out which one you have in the photograph! No wonder Tom has never finished his new journal of the aroid Flora of Ecuador! Steve
