But in Guyana, the flora just doesn't obey the rules. Things can pop up anywhere. The plants you find in one area could be completely different from what you see just a few miles away. Clarke collects plant samples mainly in areas that have never been surveyed far from the riverbanks, in the mountains, and in seasonally flooded forests. The logistics of such expeditions are not that much different from those of the 18th century, said Clarke.
Expeditions run on the basis of some very basic commodities.
Supplies and equipment are hauled upriver in dugout canoes and carried into the forest. Moving through uncharted territory is a major challenge. Waterways become narrower and shallower, blocked by fallen trees, logjams, and sandbars. Travel on land can be even more complicated. Moving around is a matter of hacking your way with a machete and stumbling, climbing, or sliding over whatever obstacles present themselves.