Fernandina Island
For me, this island is the most beautiful one in the Galapagos Archipelago; needless to say it is my favorite as well. Fernandina was as its best this afternoon. Deep blue skies and a nice cool breeze in the air were almost perfect conditions for our outing. On a clear day like today it is possible to observe the impressive shield volcano that crowns Fernandina Island. The “summit”, as we know it, is 4,900 feet high. Breathtaking young black lava flows can be seen spreading down its slopes. This wonderful geological setting is home to a fascinating mosaic of wildlife: Galapagos sea lions, large marine iguanas, unique flightless cormorants and charming Galapagos penguins were favorites among other species that roam there.
This week we have a group from the Desert Botanical Garden in Arizona on board Polaris. As you can imagine, they are especially interested in the cacti species that are found in the Galapagos. Fernadina Island is one of the best places to observe one of these species of plants, the endemic lava cactus. This rare cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) is the smallest of all the cacti found in Galapagos. Brachycereus is a very important plant species to the Flora of Galapagos as it is one of the seven angiosperm (flowering plants) genera that are endemic to the archipelago. As can be observed in today’s photo, the younger parts of the plant are yellow and the older parts are grayish. This small cactus is considered a pioneer plant, which means that it is one of the first plants to arrive and colonize a fresh lava flow. The cactus’ unmistakable shape is the basis of its Latin name; Brachycereus is derived from the Greek words brachys meaning “short”, and cereus meaning “candle”. The species name nesioticus, in Latin indicates that the plant lives on islands. “Short candles found on islands”! What a perfect name, isn’t it?
For me, this island is the most beautiful one in the Galapagos Archipelago; needless to say it is my favorite as well. Fernandina was as its best this afternoon. Deep blue skies and a nice cool breeze in the air were almost perfect conditions for our outing. On a clear day like today it is possible to observe the impressive shield volcano that crowns Fernandina Island. The “summit”, as we know it, is 4,900 feet high. Breathtaking young black lava flows can be seen spreading down its slopes. This wonderful geological setting is home to a fascinating mosaic of wildlife: Galapagos sea lions, large marine iguanas, unique flightless cormorants and charming Galapagos penguins were favorites among other species that roam there.
This week we have a group from the Desert Botanical Garden in Arizona on board Polaris. As you can imagine, they are especially interested in the cacti species that are found in the Galapagos. Fernadina Island is one of the best places to observe one of these species of plants, the endemic lava cactus. This rare cactus (Brachycereus nesioticus) is the smallest of all the cacti found in Galapagos. Brachycereus is a very important plant species to the Flora of Galapagos as it is one of the seven angiosperm (flowering plants) genera that are endemic to the archipelago. As can be observed in today’s photo, the younger parts of the plant are yellow and the older parts are grayish. This small cactus is considered a pioneer plant, which means that it is one of the first plants to arrive and colonize a fresh lava flow. The cactus’ unmistakable shape is the basis of its Latin name; Brachycereus is derived from the Greek words brachys meaning “short”, and cereus meaning “candle”. The species name nesioticus, in Latin indicates that the plant lives on islands. “Short candles found on islands”! What a perfect name, isn’t it?
