Plants > Orchidaceae & Epiphytic Orchids
The Christmas Orchid (Cattleya trianae), known across South America as the ‘Flor de Mayo,’ is one of the most celebrated and regal orchids in the world. Officially chosen in 1936 as the national flower of Colombia, this magnificent unifoliate Cattleya is...
Plants > Apocynaceae & Succulent Pachypodiums
Baron’s Elephant’s Foot (Pachypodium baronii), known locally as ‘Bontaka,’ is an iconic and critically imperiled succulent pachycaul tree endemic to the sun-baked rocky massifs of northern Madagascar. Belonging to the dogbane family...
Birds > Penguins & Spheniscidae
The Galápagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) is an evolutionary wonder, reigning as the only penguin species that naturally lives and breeds on the equator. Endemic exclusively to the volcanic shores of the Galápagos archipelago, this petite flightless bird owes its...
Mammals > Giraffids & Giraffidae
The Okapi (Okapia johnstoni), affectionately dubbed the ‘forest giraffe’ or ‘Congo unicorn,’ is an elusive, solitary ungulate endemic strictly to the dense, primary tropical rainforests of the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo....
Fungi > Stalked Puffballs & Agaricaceae
The White Stalkball (Tulostoma niveum) is one of Europe’s rarest and most ecologically specialized gasteroid fungi. Strictly tied to cold, calcareous montane rock faces and subarctic limestone crags, this exquisite miniature stalked puffball perches atop deep...
