Vol 1 - The Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists' Club

Page 6 THE FIELD NATURALIST Issue No. 1/2013The haunting remains of a vanished agriculturalcommunity, that existed when cocoawas king, lingered around us on the trail toMadamas. The remnants of a small house, pillarsand front steps, lay tucked away to theside of our path. Amongst its ruins, and scatteredin the general vicinity, were evidence of‘domestic’ plants like ixoras. Interspersedalong the trail were yam, breadfruit andlemon trees.We encountered wild chataigne and severaltowering stands of heliconias in full bloom.Hog plums (Spondias mombin) and cocoaserved as light snacks along the way. Specialappearances were made by a 200-year-oldbalata tree and the ‘Mountain Cabbage’ palm(Euterpe precatoria). The biggest hit however,was the inedible sandbox (Hura crepitans)and a similar tree with three-seeded fruit(perhaps a rubber tree) whose nuts explodedover our heads like oversized popcorn.Along the beach, Nipa palm fruits,(right)Mountain Cabbage palms,Euterpe precatoriaPhoto: Vicki BlanchardGrand TacaribePhoto: Vicki Blanchard