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Research | Plants: Botany in Jamaica

Jamaica is the land of wood and water. So it is no surprise that we have rich biodiversity in our island[1] [2].  I am fascinated with the history and development of my country's flora. I have come to understand, by the little research that I have done, that foreign plants (and even animals) were introduced to this region, like the breadfruit[3]. Some of the other plants that were introduced includes coconuts (very surprising to me), sugar cane (one of the biggest slave trade product), tomatoes, red peas (or kidney beans), yam, orange, ackee (shocking!) and the list goes on.

I have ventured down this path because I have an interest in introducing a few more foreign species into our island. Is it possible for me to create hybrids of plants that are native to regions outside our tropical zone?

Our planet has five (5) geographical zones: North Frigid (4% of the planet), North Temperate (26%), Torrid or Tropical (40%), South Temperate (26%), South Frigid (4%). Apart from the navigational descriptions of North and South, the zones could be simplified into three main types: Frigid, Temperate and Torrid (or Tropical). Frigid zones are the coldest parts of Earth and these zones experience very little heat or light from the sun. In the Temperate zones the climate is mild, generally ranging from warm to cool where plant life experience the four annual seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. The Tropical zone is mostly warm throughout the year where plant life experiences two main season: dry season (April - September) and wet season (October - March).

Since plant life depend so much on the light of the sun it comes as no surprise that the greatest diversity of plants grow within the Tropical zone. As a matter of fact, most plant life recorded are within the Temperate and Tropical zones.

As an adventurous man born in the tropics, I cannot help but be fascinated by the type of fruits that thrive in the Temperate zones. Some berries, pome and stone fruits (or drupes) grow well in temperate zones because of the climatic conditions provided there. Berries like grapes, strawberry, raspberry and blueberry grow in these regions. Then there are pome fruits like pear and apple and drupes like cherry and peach.

The trouble with getting some plants from the Temperate zone to grow in the Torrid (Tropical) zone is to provide those plants with the same conditions they would experience in the Temperate zone. How can a farmer simulate four seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall into a region that only has two seasons: wet and dry? Or can hybrids be created to grow within the tropical region?

Currently, we have 3,304 species of plants that grow in Jamaica. This makes up about 1.1% of the 300,000 recorded species within the world. But, do we have a comprehensive database of all the plants that grow here? Can we revive all botanical gardens in the country and implement an organized structure to plant life in our forest (31.1% of the island) and arable land (11.4% of the island)?

Reference

  1. Jamaica and Invasive Species by Jamaica Observer
  2. The Beautiful Plants in Jamaica by Wellesley Gayle
  3. Bath Botanical Gardens by Jamaica National Heritage Trust
  4. Fruits Listed Region Wise by Fruits Info

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