The fruits or seeds may have also crossed between continents due to the rivers expelling seeds to the ocean. The camu camu plant Myrciaria dubia is best known for the camu camu fruit, which is a small tart citrus fruit. The plant grows as a small shrub near rivers and lakes. Unusually, the fruit is dispersed by fish. The fruit is used to flavor desserts, sauces and is a favorite juice in Amazon regions.
The camu camu fruit itself is very high in Vitamin C and has one of the highest concentrations of any fruit.
The piripiri plant Cyperus articulatus is a tropical reed that grows across the tropical region worldwide and is known by many different names. You can find the plant in or near waterways and lakes in the Amazon Rainforest.
The plant has many traditional and medicinal uses. Many cultures use the plant to treat a wide range of conditions. This is one of the plants you will be shown if you choose a tour with a medicinal garden or would like a jungle survival course.
The plant is also used in handicrafts and as a flavoring. The walking palm or cashapona Socratea exorrhiza is an interesting plant to find in the rainforest. They are very common in the rainforest and grow to over 25 meters 80 ft with a very distinctive root system.
The stilt-like roots grow out from the stem between 1 to 2 meters 7 ft off the ground. The reason for the unusual roots is still unknown, however, the most likely reason is that it has something to do with quick growth and stability. The cumaceba tree Swartzia polyphylla is used to make arrowheads by some Amazon communities. The trees grow to around 15 meters 49 ft tall and live throughout the Amazon Rainforest.
Some remain in the understory while others grow into the canopy. The bark is also used in traditional medicine. The mountain soursop tree Annona montana is best known for its fruit, which is used mainly in traditional medicine. The plant grows as a shrub or tree in tropical rainforest of Central and South America. At its maximum height, the plant grows to around 15 meters 50 ft. In addition to growing in lowland rainforests, true to its name the plant can also be found at higher altitude to around 2, meters 6, ft above sea level.
Although less popular than its close relative the guanabana, the fruits are also eaten in desserts. It is even used as an alternative to chocolate in Brazil. A fascinating plant found in tropical forests from Central America to South America, the trees of Cassia grandis grow to over 30 meters 98 ft tall. The tree is in the Fabaceae pea family of plants and it blooms with beautiful clusters of light pink flowers. What really makes the tree stand out are its fruits.
The bean-like fruiting pods of Cassia grandis are 50 cm 20 in long, which are sometimes used to make a sweet syrup. The fascinating thing about them is what Daniel Janzen noted about the plants when trying to identify the animals that disperse the 2 cm 0.
Most fruits evolve with specific animals to distribute their seeds and are suited to a particular type of dispersal agent. The animal that used to eat the fruit of Cassia grandis is now extinct and the fruit is known as an anachronism. A possible animal that once ate these fruits and distributed the seeds is a giant ground sloth, which went extinct over 10, years ago.
You will emerge from highly diverse forest to areas home to only one species of tree called Duroia hirsuta. The trees have a mutualistic relationship with a type of lemon ant, which live within the trees. They help defend the trees and also weed the area of other plant species by biting the stems and spraying the competing plants with formic acid.
The trees also release chemicals from their roots that help limit growth of other species, which creates these fascinating areas of rainforest.
These puzzled people who found them leading to their mysterious name. About the Author : Ash Card is a frequent visitor to the Amazon and has a passion for helping visitors get the best experiences from tropical destinations. Ash has interests including tropical destinations, rainforests and wildlife. Feel free to contact Ash for tour help in the Amazon. When not helping tourists with tours and info, Ash can be found salsa-ing the night away or posing near waterfalls.
Share This Article Want inspiration for future adventures? Here, we will mention 29 of the most interesting plants to find in Amazonia. Roy Luck on Flickr. Sunoochi on Flickr. Dinesh Valke on Flickr. Katja Schulz on Flickr. Lauren Gutierrez on Flickr. SaraYeomans on Flickr. Forest and Kim Starr on Flickr. Marco Verch on Flickr. Quinn Comendant on Flickr. Larry Crovo on Flickr.
Andy Wraithmell on Flickr. MarPa87 on Flickr. Mauro Halpern on Flickr. Nick Jewell on Flickr. Fred Almeida Katja Schulz. I likE plants! Mauricio Mercadante on Flickr. The conservation of the rainforest is vital for their existence. Make raw cacao part of your regular diet to benefit from natural energy, mental alertness, and focus. If you have ever been on an Amazon River cruise or stayed in a jungle lodge , you may have seen these impressive Victoria water lilies during one of your jungle excursions.
These water lilies are not your average flower — they grow up to 3 meters in diameter — imagine, you could lay down on one! They were named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
The passion fruit flower is a vigorous vine that can cling on to almost anything and grow 15 to 20 ft. This plan does well in tropical climates and prefers the sun, however, the passion fruit flower does not like heavy heat. If there is too much heat, the passion fruit flower will start growing towards the shade.
These beautiful plants are bright in color, varying from reds and oranges to blues and purples. These flowers grow on the ground or on other plants, and even on rocks. Like the passion fruit flower, some of the bromeliad species also produce fresh, juicy fruit.
Can you guess what it is? Answer: Pineapple. The Monkey Brush is a striking vine native to South America. This exotic plant grows like a parasite on other plants and trees throughout the jungle. The flower acts as a natural feeding source for hummingbirds and a resting spot for green iguanas. The flower is very bright, a vivid orange color that can easily be seen among rainforest greenery. Bananas are the fourth largest food crop in the world and one of the most popular fruits in the United States.
They are vital to our economy and our health. The banana plant is very impressive. Banana blossoms develop into fruit takes months to be ripe enough to eat. After the plant produces fruit, the stem dies and is immediately replaced by new growth.
Can you believe that banana plants weigh on average pounds and can have bananas growing at the same time? The coffee plant resembles a bush and can grow up to 30 feet tall. These pods are green in color when young and gradually turn reddish brown when it is ready to be harvested. The next plant in this Amazon rainforest plants list is the beautiful Passion Flower, a vine that is often seen hanging in the canopy of trees in the Amazon Rainforest.
This unique flower is very distinct because of its white and purple flowers that have a seemingly plastic appearance, and an intricate smell.
Growing in the waters of the Amazon river basin, the Giant Water Lily Victoria amazonica protects itself from predators by growing thorns in its leaves. As its name suggests, one of the most interesting facts about this lily is its very large leaf surface that can grow up to 46 centimeters in diameter. Bromeliads are tropical flowering plants that appear to be very bright in color.
They usually range from color blue and purple to red and orange. And just like the Passion Flower, bromeliad flowers also produce fruits. Coffee plants, which grow up to 30 feet high, are also widespread in the Amazon Rainforest. Inside its juicy berries are coffee beans that eventually make this plant one of the most important plants in the world.
Economically speaking, the Rubber Tree is considered as one of the most valuable plants for Amazonian indigenous people. This is primarily because the said plant is the source of latex that is used in the manufacture of rubber. Also common in the Amazon Rainforests are bananas. Contrary to the popular belief, bananas are not trees but are actually herbs. Their flowers are the yellowish stalks that are surrounded by the colorful leaves.
The interior part of the Amazon Rainforest contains the most exotic plants and animals in the world — the Monkey Brush vine is one of them. The Sapodilla is an evergreen that is found throughout the Amazon rainforest.
This slow-growing plant is wind-resistant and has a complex root system that allows it to grow in the harsh environments of the forest. Endemic to the Amazon Rainforest, the Murumuru is a palm tree characterized by having a thick shuttlecock-like crown. Its fruits are edible and serve as staple food for indigenous people in the area. This tree is described by having a spectacular green feather-like crown made of palm leaves.
Every year, each stem of this tree produces 4 to eight bunches of berries, with each bunch weighting up to 6 kilograms! As its name implies, the Pitcher plant is a type of carnivorous plant that attracts its insect prey into its pitcher-like foliage.
Inside it is a sweet and sugary liquid similar to nectar which smell attracts the potential victim. Once inside, the prey can no longer escape and will eventually be digested by the plant.
The Kapok tree is considered as one of the giants in the Amazon Rainforest as it can grow up to feet high some Kapok trees can even grow at a rate of 13 feet every year. The tree is so huge that it can have a diameter of nine to 10 feet. Also considered as one of the giants of the Amazon Rainforest, the Mahogany tree stands tall with a height of up to feet.
This tree, which can live up to years, has long been considered as a valuable timber product. This tree is very sensitive as it can only produce fruits in virgin forests. Thanks for knowing about giant trees because these play a vital and major role to protect our environment. Not only that but inside the pitcher is a liquid that is used to attract prey within the plant […].
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