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PhilMarkey
03-11-2019, 11:11 AM
Hi Guys!
I know I've mentioned this before, but thought I'd just mention that there are still a couple of places left in case anyone is considering it.

Here is the link again: https://www.nature-expeditions.co.uk/tours/taiwan-birds-botany-expedition.php
I know it says "Birds & Botany", but although we're going to many places for birds, and we'll see many birds, everyone who has signed up so far for this are coming for the botany as their main subject. So this trip is going to be very much for the botany.

You're going to see all the Taiwan wild bananas on this trip (well all but one that I'll explain below) and I'm going to talk you through those right now!

https://www.nature-expeditions.co.uk/images/formosana.jpg Musa itinerans var. formosana You're going to see a lot of these all over the highlands of Taiwan. I'll even try to show you some at about 1800 m in the conifer forests.

https://www.nature-expeditions.co.uk/images/kavalanensis.jpg Musa itinerans var. kavalanensis This is the Yilan yellow banana that was described a few years ago.

https://www.nature-expeditions.co.uk/images/chinensis.jpg Musa itinerans var. chinensis There is one place where this can be found.

https://www.nature-expeditions.co.uk/images/chiumai.jpg Musa itinerans var. chiumai Described a couple of years ago, this is found only in one location.

https://www.nature-expeditions.co.uk/images/insularimontana.jpg Musa insularimontana There's a story to this one that I won't go into now!

https://www.nature-expeditions.co.uk/images/textilis.jpg Musa textilis There's also a story to this that I won't go into now!

https://www.nature-expeditions.co.uk/images/yamiensis.jpg Musa yamiensis This is the one that we almost certainly won't see in the wild, because it is extinct. But we can look for it, I know exactly where it was found.

https://www.nature-expeditions.co.uk/images/balbisiana.jpg Musa balbisiana and the last one that we'll see quite a few of is this one.

I do hope you might consider joining us on this expedition, you'll get to see many remote parts of Taiwan that few ever see, and we'll have some fun doing it!

Best wishes,
Phil

imclumbi
03-11-2019, 08:06 PM
Amazing and fantastic!! Thank you for your post!!

robguz24
03-11-2019, 08:54 PM
Fascinating post. Had my first trip to Taiwan last fall, but never got off the beaten path. Wondered if there were any native musa there.

Tytaylor77
03-13-2019, 10:19 AM
Very awesome! Thank you for posting! Did you collect any seeds?

PhilMarkey
03-13-2019, 10:50 AM
Hi, yes! been collecting these seeds most years since the late 1990s. I am the origin of these seeds in cultivation.

If anyone is considering joining me on this expedition and who would like to collect seeds then they should let me know in advance so that collecting permits can be arranged.

Cheers!
Phil