I found these green pods on another plant in a rainforrest in Costa Rica. They were planted in potting soil and months later grew these palmy looking leaves. Do you know what plant it is?
Those "pods" are pseudobulbs. It is some species of epiphytic orchid. Should be able to ID it when it flowers.
How does one legally bring an orchid into the USA without knowing what species it is? Many orchids are protected, rightly so, by CITES. Just slipping something in your bag and not declaring it could get you real prison time.
It's an orchid. More to the point, it reminds me strongly of Xyllobium (also sometimes spelled Xylobium), although it could also be a Lycaste or a Brassia. Wait for it to bloom, is my advice, and then post a picture of the flowers. That will make an ID much easier. Did you see flowers on or near the bulbs you harvested? What kind of living conditions are you giving it? (ie where in your house is it? where is Lee, USA? how often do you water? do you mist? have you fertilized it in any way?) What you picked are the pseudobulbs of the orchid. Investigate orchid potting medium in your local greenhouse and garden stores; you say you picked them off a tree, which means that they're an epiphyte, not a terrestrial plant. However, as they seem to be doing well in potting soil (!) you may want to leave them until they bloom, and then re-pot into the looser medium. And don't go around advertising that you took an orchid from the wild (especially Costa Rica)!!! These are all ICN redlisted species, ie: endangered at the very least. I'm glad it grew for you, rather than dying. BUT DON'T EVER EVER EVER DO IT AGAIN!!! Daniel makes a very good point - it may well be CITES protected at which point if you didn't declare it you could be facing prison. The photos in the links belong to the Online Orchid Encyclopedia; I've chosen species that actually occur in Costa Rica, but they're just best guesses. Until your orchid blooms we won't know for certain what it is.
Next trip, check out www.aphis.usda.gov/permits I agree with lorax. There is the practical issue of legality---but larger in my mind is the ethics of the situation. Several weeks ago many forum members addressed this subject in "A Question of the Ethics of Stealing"...Tempting as it is to take a bit of the rainforest home with you, RESIST THE TEMPTATION. The plant is where it should be.
