Most of these Peperomias are from the Cordillera del Condor, (what a surprise!), but a few are from other parts of Ecuador. Unfortunately I did not realize my camera battery was in backwards (!) for a few hours of walking in the Condor, so I did not get photographs of the multiple, very distinctive clones of Peperomia tovariana that resided within a very small range, but suffice it to say their markings were very striking! These are mostly slightly larger, albeit still small, Peperomias, many with very nice white venation. From afar, the trees and hillsides composing the area Chuck and I explored here, seemed, and granted it could have been the high elevation sun, to have a subtle silvery patina to them. This is something that I normally associate with forests of mainland Africa (not because I have been there, but because of many David Attenbourough narrated documentaries on these areas!), so it was a treat to experience this very unique forest in person. Up close, this feature expressed itself also, mostly noticable in the metallicy leaves of Elaphoglossums, large Anthuriums, chalky bases of Bromeliads (always overhead, I’m not even sure what their crowns look like!), and pendant leaves of large Pleurothallids.
Not Peperomias, but a few plants with similarly striking leaf venation
