[Fauna] Flora

A weather regime dominated from the Caribbean influences the Yalijux mountain range with an annual rainfall of 4000 mm. In addition, the forest filters a high amount of water from the clouds, which is a cloud forests' main characteristic (Richards 1995). In Chelemhá, cloud forest is visible under pristine conditions. It is an evergreen, very humid broadleaf forest. Trees reach a height of 30 m.


The cloud forest of Chelemhá typifies what many people in northern latitudes imagine as “jungle” - an impressive chaotic green. Epiphytes grow upon branches and trunks of giant trees. The exuberant development of mosses, ferns, orchids, bromeliads and other epiphytes is typical to tropical cloud forests. These plants form true gardens with ton-weighty charges upon huge branches. Oak (Quercus spp.) and a variety of wild Avocado (Lauraceae) are characteristic trees of the Chelemhá cloud forest. Some species of the latter family have small fruit, of approximately 2 cm in diameter, which is the Quetzal’s main food. Single pine trees (Pinus sp.) grow on ridges and on naturally disturbed areas, like landslides. Elfin forest, a few meter tall scrub of Ericaceae plants, grows on the most wind-exposed ridges. Tree ferns (Cyatheaceae and Dicksoniaceae) and palms (Chamedorea spp.) are obvious parts of the cloud forest understory. The forest of Chelemhá is full of surprises. Some years ago, Dr. Harald Förther discovered a 3 meter tall scrub, by then unknown to science. He described it as Solenophora schleehaufii from the Gesneriaceae family (Weigend & Förther 2002).

References


Richards, P. W. (1996): The tropical rain forest. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.


Weigend, M. & H. Förther (2002): A revision of the Central American genus Solenophora (Gesneriaceae). Harvard Papers Bot. 7: 37-78.