Colombia is one of a small group of "megadiverse" countries, nations so extraordinarily rich in species that they collectively account for the majority of life on Earth. It ranks second in the world for plant diversity, and is home to more orchid species than any other country. I'll confess that before putting this hunt together my mental image of Colombia was mostly rainforest, and while it does still hold large areas of primary Amazonian forest, that picture misses most of the story. The country spans five distinct natural regions: Caribbean coast, Pacific lowlands, Andes, Llanos and Amazon. It's the collision of those worlds, particularly the layering of the Andes into lowland forest, cloud forest and páramo, that drives the extraordinary diversity. The nine plants below come from across that range, from the giant water lilies of the Amazon basin to the frailejones and wax palms of the high Andes.
I'm certain we're going to come back here again and again and again.
How to Play
Plant Hunt is a game of memory. The goal is to match all the cards in the shortest number of time and attempts. You uncover cards in pairs, by clicking or tapping the back of them. If the cards match, you'll see them in large form, and they'll stay face up. Once you get them all, you'll get a time and move count. If you like you can share this with others, or be sneaky and try again. Though you might find your memory playing tricks, the more attempts you make.
If you want more information about the plants, you'll find it below the playing area.
Cover image: Ceroxylon quindiuense by Jason Searle CC BY-NC
