Plant hunting on Tobago

[Rob & Alison]

Hi. We have booked our first Tobago (and Carribean) holiday , a week at the Blue Waters Inn. Primarily for Birding- we will have questions about that later(we do have the new Helm guide).

We are also interested in Butterflies - is there a reasonable I.D.Guide available for the Island?

And the plants (Especially cacti and succulents) Is there a guide book for Tobago flora?

This will be our first opportunity to see cacti in habitat (after 30yrs of growing them here). Our initial research gives 13 species of cacti for Trinidad &Tobago, but it isnt easy to narrow down to which do actually occur on Tobago. Succulents are even tougher to find info for. Can anyone give us good plant(especially cacti) locations.
There are a couple of key species we would love to see and photograph a Mammillaria and a Melocactus - common names arent easy for cacti but 'Turks cap cactus' would fit the latter.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Rob & Alison

[David Watkins]

Rob & Alison,I don't believe there has been much(modern) cataloguing of the flora in the rain forest of Tobago,however, when you arrive,if you visit the Botanical Garden and Station in Scarborough I am sure they should be able to help you.
David

[Clyde Alleyne]

Rob & Alison, I happen to have a book called "Gardening in the Caribbean", written by Iris Bannochie and Marilyn Light, and which was reprinted by The MacMillan Press in 1994 ISBN 0-333-56573-8. In the book there is a chapter on "Favourite Plants" and under Cactus they list the following types: Bishop's Cap (Astrophytum), Chin Cactus (Gymnocalycium), Columnar Cactus (Cereus and relatives), Epiphytic Cactus (Hylocereus, Selenicereus, Rhipsalis), Flat Hand Cactus (Opuntia), Notocactus, Parodia, Pincushion Cactus (Mammilaria), Turk's Cap Cactus (Melocactus). I guess those would be the common ones to be found in our parts. Of course, it is not specific on what is to be found in Tobago by location.
Hope this helps,
Clyde