Our environment is sometimes taken for granted. Even something unique, like, is forgotten. It seems a little bit of knowledge and a push in the right direction can make people appreciate the environment. So why not start with the wonder that is the rainforest?
Despite the fact that tropical forests cover less than two percent of the total surface area of the Earth, about 50% and live in them. They are also found on every continent except Antarctica. It's very amazing! Now let's see what plants are found here. From 40,000 species, in this article, you will learn about 10 of the most amazing rainforest plants that will blow your mind and help you get closer to the amazing nature of our planet.
Bananas
Bananas are one of the amazing rainforest plants. Even though they look like trees, bananas are not trees but giant herbaceous plants. In a year they reach their full height ranging from 3 to 6 m. The flowers eventually develop into fruits and then mature and are used as food by humans and animals. Banana stems can weigh almost 45 kg and are almost 93% water.
Spreading: Central America, South America, Africa, Southeast Asia as well as non-tropical regions such as the United States of America thanks to modern agricultural technology.
Orchid
Orchids are the largest plant family in the world. The species vary greatly in weight and size, with some petals reaching 75 cm in length and inflorescences growing up to 3 m in length. They can also have a different color, with the exception of black. Orchids grow on rocks, in soil, underground and on other plants, relying on certain insects or birds for pollination.
Spreading: extremely well adapted and growing in Central America, South America and along the Andean mountains.
Coffee
What would you do if you didn't have a cup of coffee in the morning? Surely that would be terrible. For coffee, you can thank the rainforest coffee plant. It can grow up to 9 m in height, but is considered a bush or shrub. Coffee fruits resemble grapes, and contain two coffee beans inside. It takes six to eight years for a plant to grow, and its lifespan can be up to 100 years.
Spreading: Ethiopia, Sudan, and Latin America are home to more than two-thirds of the total number of coffee trees on the planet.
Brazilian nut
Rising above all other trees in the rainforest, the Brazil nut can reach over 50 m in height. The plant is widely known for its nutrient-rich fruits. The outer layer of the fruit is so hard that only agouti, a large rodent with sharp teeth, can damage it.
Spreading: tropical forests of Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru.
Euphorbia is the most beautiful
This beautiful plant is found in tropical forests as a bush or tree. One might think that the red part of the plant is the flowers, but they are actually the bracts. The flowers are small yellow inflorescences in the middle of the leaves. Also, to clear up the rumors, they are not poisonous, although some believe they are.
Spreading: Mexico and Central America.
Cocoa
The cocoa tree is an evergreen plant whose fruits are pods containing 20 to 60 reddish brown cocoa beans. To obtain 500 g of cocoa, 7 to 14 pods are required. It is very important that the cocoa is harvested correctly.
Spreading: grows below an altitude of 300 m above sea level in regions that receive about 10 cm of precipitation per month. Cocoa originated in the Amazon rainforest and can be found today in southern Mexico.
Hevea brazilian
This tree can grow up to 40 m in height. Hevea brasiliensis is characterized by its milky white sap, which is commonly referred to as natural rubber, and rubber is made from it. The tree is used to produce rubber at the age of six.
Spreading: Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.
heliconia
This genus of plants includes almost 200 species distributed in tropical America. Depending on the species, these plants can grow up to 4.5 m in height. Flowers can be colored in shades of red, orange, yellow and green. The bracts actually hide the flowers of the plant and protect the nectar, so only certain birds, such as hummingbirds, can get to them. Butterflies also love to feast on sweet nectar.
Spreading: Central and South America.
sapodilla
This strong wind-resistant tree has an extensive root system and bark containing a milky sap called latex. The egg-shaped fruits contain a grainy yellow fruit inside and taste similar to a pear. It is considered the best fruit in Central America, and even the mammals of the rainforest love to snack on it. The first chewing gum was created from the fruit of the sapodilla by the Aztecs!
Spreading: southern Mexico, Belize and northeastern Guatemala.
Bromeliads
Bromeliads include over 2,700 species that grow on the ground, on rocks, and on other plants. These beautiful plants have bright flowers. One of the most famous representatives of the bromeliad family is the sweet, wonderful fruit of the pineapple! Bromeliads are even sometimes a refuge for frogs, snails and salamanders, where they stay for life.
Spreading: Central and South America. One species is also found in West Africa.
The rainforest is home to many amazing plants, including those that so many of us feast on; so it is very important to keep this unique. Imagine that you live without bananas, coffee, chocolate, pineapples and beautiful orchids. It's quite sad!
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