09/03/2026
💡 Did you know that and are the two largest and most biodiverse in the insular ? 😮
With the mission of collaborating on the of the of these two sister islands, Planta! supported the work stay of our Cuban colleagues José Luis Gómez Hechavarría and Wilder Carmenate Reyes, from Cisat Holguín, in the Dominican Republic between June and August 2025. The Jardin Botanico Nacional RD and the Jardin Botánico de Santiago, Profesor Eugenio de Jesús Marcano Fondeur, also supported this effort to strengthen regional networks in conservation and . 😁
For almost three months, José Luis and Wilder advanced their respective doctoral research, while also giving lectures, training sessions, and developing five joint expeditions with Dominican researchers to sites with high plant diversity. 🤓😎
Today we tell you about one of their adventures:
▶In early July, the Cuban researchers, along with colleagues .pina and Cinthia Onaney from the National Botanic Garden, explored the of in the famous and spectacular .
🌳 (*Frodinia tremula*) is a giant tree that reaches 25 m in height and more than 5 m in diameter, making it perfectly visible in satellite images. Can you imagine? 😲 It is endemic to Hispaniola and is considered to extinction.
▶The expedition in the forests of the imposing resulted in 240 specimens collected for the National Herbarium of Santo Domingo (JBSD) and nearly 450 photos of rare plants like the (*Wercklea horrida*).
That's all for now, but follow this thread because we'll tell you more about the adventures of José Luis and Wilder in the . 🥰