The latest cover of our member magazine, Tropical Dispatch, was created by Olivia Marie Braida-Chiusano, founder of the Academy of Botanical Art at Selby Gardens.
This piece is currently on display in the Payne Mansion as part of our exhibit, Selby’s Secret Garden.
Ms. Braida – a nationally-recognized artist whose works can be found in many private and public collections – has masterfully demonstrated the contents of a Brazilian bromeliad of the genus Neoregelia. The drawing showcases the unique shape of the plant that allows it to catch rainwater, providing a unique habitat for many and varied organisms. Through her masterful work, Ms. Braida depicts the secret life that dwells within these plants.
About the 15 Inhabitants
- Psecas sumptuosus – Jumping Spider
- Culex pilosus – Mosquito Larvae
- Macronema hageni – Net-Spinning Caddisfly
- Odontomachus haematodus – Trap Jaw Ant
- Mescistocephalus guildingii – Centipede
- Cordylochernes scorpioides – Pseudoscorpion
- Dichogaster saliens – Worm
- Atlantoscia floridana – Isopod
- Hormetica laevigata – Cockroach
- Happiella insularis – Snail
- Anabaena oumiana – Blue-Green Algae
- Lachnodacnum luederwaldti – Beetle
- Leptagrion macrurum – Narrow-Winged Damselfly
- Aparasphenodon brunoi – Bruno’s Casque-Headed Frog (venomous!)
- Sesarma angustipes – Crapsid Crab