I am sending a picture of another kind of vine that my husband found on a tree!!
Tropical vines and creepers
Oxybelis fulgidus (green vine snake). Not poisonous!!
That's cool!
Grazio, your plant is Dioscorea bulbifera, and it's native to South East Asia, Northern Australia and some of the Pacific Islands. Plants from different places vary a bit. Ours only have small bulblets in the leaf axils and are never eaten. Only the underground tubers were eaten but only after extensive preparation (a bit like taros and other plants). I don't know where the "Aerial potatoes" come from but they have much larger bulblets in the leaf axils which are the part eaten. I've got some of those on my place, planted by the previous owner. But I've also got the native ones. They're the most beautiful plant with the most beautiful leaves. So I'm glad they're native here and not considered a weed.
wow, thanks so much for the additional info re the D. bulbifera. I am relieved it is native to this area. After looking thru all the field books it seems v. little is indeed indigenous here in Bali (well, the showy, cultivated plants). For friend Atenas, so you know what kinds of vines we do have here...everything tropical, basically (now that I know you visited here and lived in the Marshalls; before, I didn't want to disillusion you, lol...). The Strongolydon, that color, is the most wonderful I have seen on any plant. For those of you who have seen it, it is hard to describe, so find a photo, lots on here. There is, on this turquoise blue, a purple irridescence (well, at least in bali). And the mucunas, that red on the benneti. I could go on about so many of them, but right now, as mentioned before, building a new house here (eventually) on 4100 sq meters of land, I am thinking of all the vine color combos. Plus grading in different shades of the bouganvilleas on two levels.....so they don't clash but blend in a moving chain of color...thanks all...
Bignonia, we have a Green Tree Snake here, Dendrelaphis punctulata, which is also quite a beautiful snake. Real vivid green with yellow belly. They get to 2 metres long but mostly the ones I see are 1 metre up to 1.5 metres.
Had a great experience with one where I was living in Arnhem Land. The snake had taken to hunting around the place I lived in and was quite used to me being around. One day I was sitting in the shade and the snake came up between my legs. Raised its head up to the height of my knees looking me straight in the eyes. It flickered tongue (no doubt checking my scent) and with its head perfectly still waved its neck from side to side. Looked quite incredible. Then it went back down onto the ground looking for frogs again.
I already checked in internet about Dendrelaphis, I feel a relief that it is not a poisonous snake. Maybe this snake approached you to see if it can eat you!! It found out that was a impossible task so just left you behind LOL!!! On the other hand I can see two different species getting along and respecting each other!!
There are approx. 133 species of snakes here in this tiny country.
Creepy, i am not very fond of snakes!!
sorry i didn't post that picture yet you asked for. I haven't been on this thread for quite a while.
About the 2010 Fifa world cup, well, it certainly is going to be a big event! i just spent a week in South Africa, and all the businesses are getting ready for it. Huge stadiums are being built in several cities, and new roads are being made. a lot of construction everywhere. Here in Mozambique, a huge stadium is being built in Maputo, some of the pre-games will be held there. economically its going to be a huge boost, but a lot of people are saying that the economy of especially South africa will take a dive afterwards. i guess we will see. i don't think Fifa was very smart in choosing South Africa, it has the highest crime rate in the world. i was so nervous the whole time i was there, and you are never completely safe.
Isaac