Some Random plants and birds from Samoa

This is one of the plants I found growing at the summit of Mount Vaea where Robert Louis Stevenson's tomb is. It looks like Lantana but I am only familiar with the yellow and orange variety so I cannot be certain although the flower structure looks similar. The other major difference is that all of the yellow orange ones I have seen have tons of flowers whereas this one just had a few appearing amidst other plants. Perhaps they are a few young plants struggling to survive amongst the other plants?


Calathea burle-marxii "Blue Ice"

Here is one of the Calathea burle-marxii "Blue Ice" that I transplanted at Alafua. All the Calathea burle-marxii "Blue Ice" and "Green Ice" appear to have survived transplant and as evidenced by the flowers.

 Chinese Violet, (Asystasia gangetica)



Flowers of the Surinam Cherry, (Eugenia uniflora)



Fruit of the Surinam Cherry, (Eugenia uniflora)

 The Surinam Cherry belongs to the plant family Myrtaceae

Flowers of an Unknown shrub



Tomato flowers (Solanum lycopersicum)

Cardinal Myzomela (Myzomela cardinalis)

We saw this chap feasting in a large stand of Odontenema. I am not sure which species we have here in Samoa. It could be either Odontonema strictum or Odontonema cuspidatum although it appears that the two a synonymous so I guess either one could be considered correct.

In any case it is appropriate for a Cardianl Myzomela to been seen amongst these flowers as one of  Odontenema's common names is "Cardinal guard".


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My other blogs

· Flora and Fauna - Plants and Critters (on plants, animals as well as gardening, conservation and environmental matters): http://plantsandcritters.blogspot.com/

· The Blood of Souls (language, translation and etymology) : http://thebloodofsouls.blogspot.com/

· Whiskers on Kittens (Life with Kittens and Cats in general) : http://whiskersonkittens-vincent.blogspot.com/