Banyan treeTropical plants comprise about 160,000 of the estimated 250,000 species of plants on Earth. Following is a sample of the many interesting plants that grow in the tropics.
DOUBLE COCONUT
Lodoicea maldivica
Palm family
The largest seed in the plant kingdom looks like two coconuts fused together, giving rise to this fan palm's common name. The plant is tender and very slow-growing, especially when young (for instance, the nut takes a year to germinate and another year to form its first leaf); hence, it is rarely cultivated. Eventually, it can attain heights of 100 feet and leaf blades to 20 feet in length and 12 feet in diameter. The fan palm is native to only a few islands in the Seychelles, located off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. For centuries its nuts were mistakenly thought to come from the Maldive Islands, an error preserved in its Latin name.
Banyan tree
BANYAN TREE
Ficus benghalensis
Mulberry family
One of the wonders of the plant kingdom, the banyan, begins life as an epiphyte, growing on another plant and taking its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain. The banyan sends down aerial roots which become accessory "trunks," supporting the tree's immense crown and allowing it to extend over several acres. Widely cultivated in the tropics, the banyan is native to India and Pakistan, where it is considered sacred.
Coccoloba pubescens
COCCOLOBA
Coccoloba pubescens
Buckwheat family
Sometimes referred to as "Eve's umbrella," coccoloba can grow to 80 feet but in its juvenile stage is grown as a pot plant for its large, veined ornamental leaves. "Pubescens" refers to the fine hairs, in this case rusty-colored, that cover the leaves' undersides.
Talipot palm
TALIPOT PALM
Corypha umbraculifera
Palm family
"Umbraculifera" means "bears an umbrella," an appropriate name for this ornamental. The talipot palm's flower clusters are the largest in the plant kingdom. Specimens can easily grow trunks to 80 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter and leaf blades to 16 feet in diameter. The plant dies after flowering and fruiting.
Freycinetia multiflora
FREYCINETIA
Freycinetia multiflora
Pandanus family
The orange growths on this male specimen are actually leaves which will slowly peel off to expose small green male flowers.
Philippine fig
PHILIPPINE FIG
Ficus pseudopalma
Mulberry family
This plant's unusual leaf formations, giving the appearance of a pompon on a pole, could lead you to mistake it for a palm, hence the name "pseudopalma."
Peacock plant
PEACOCK PLANT
Calathea makoyana
Maranta family
The peacock plant is well adapted to the low light of the forest floor. Its broad leaves help capture the limited light and the red-purple pigment on the underside of the leaves is a special adaptation which captures the greenish light present at the forest floor. It has striking markings on the upper surface of the leaf. These markings occur naturally; it is not a cultivar. Like the prayer plant (Maranta sp.) the leaves of the peacock plant fold up at night.
Panama-hat plant
PANAMA-HAT PLANT
Carludovica palmata
Cyclanthus family
Often cultivated in tropical gardens as an ornamental or as a source of fiber, this plant is palm-like but is not a palm. In Ecuador, the leaves are woven into the famous Panama hats, a name conferred during the days of the California Gold Rush, when the hats were shipped to the state from Ecuador indirectly by way of Panama.
Gnetum leyboldii
GNETUM
Gnetum leyboldii
Gnetum family
This vine is not a flowering plant but one of the gymnosperms, vascular plants that bear exposed seeds ("gymnosperm" literally means "naked seed"). Other kinds of gymnosperms are the cycads, gingkos, and conifers. Gnetum is uncharacteristic in that it is a vine and has large, broad leaves.
Bauhinia
BAUHINIA
Bauhinia blakeana
Pea family
This evergreen tree, which can grow to 40 feet or more, bears curious, bi-lobed leaves reminiscent of bull hooves. Its showy, reddish purple flowers are very orchid-like in appearance. All plants in cultivation originated from a single tree discovered in Canton, China.
Fishbone cactus
FISHBONE CACTUS
Epiphyllum anguliger
Cactus family
Sometimes called the "fishbone cactus," this plant lives in the tropical rain forests of southern Mexico. It is an epiphyte and so is adapted to the relatively dry conditions of life in the forest canopy. Spineless, its branches resemble leaves but are actually modified stems. It flowers for just a few nights each year, with fragrant pale yellow blooms.
Sacred fig
SACRED FIG
Ficus religiosa
Mulberry family
This large, fast-growing tree begins life as an epiphyte. Its leaves are excellent, if exaggerated, examples of drip tips, which allow rapid shedding of water. Widely planted in the tropics, in India the tree is sacred to Hindus and Buddhists.
American mangrove
AMERICAN MANGROVE
Rhizophora mangle
Mangrove family
The mangroves are widely distributed throughout the tropics and in southern Florida, growing in areas of salt water, such as tidal shores and marshes. The many arching aerial roots make dense tangles that stabilize the surrounding soil, prop the tree, and assist in absorbing water and minerals. Seeds germinate while still attached to the parent plant, giving them a head start on growth when they fall and lodge in the mud. Mangrove bark is an important source of tannin, used in tanning, dyeing, making ink, and medicine. American mangrove is also referred to as red mangrove.
Ilang-ilang
ILANG-ILANG
Cananga odorata
Annona family
This southeast Asian tree, which can grow to 80 feet, is also sometimes spelled "ylang-ylang." Its greenish yellow, drooping flowers are exceedingly fragrant, and their oils are distilled for use in some of the world's most expensive perfumes.
Screw pine
SCREW PINE
Pandanus copelandii
Pandanus family
Not true pines, the many trees and shrubs in the Pandanus family are noteworthy for their dramatic architecture and aerial prop roots. The name "screw pine" reflects their twisted patterns of growth. In areas where the plants are native, their leaves are often woven into thatch, baskets, hats, and mats, while their flowers are sources for perfumes and folk medicines.
Giant bamboo
GIANT BAMBOO
Dendrocalamus giganteus
Grass family
This Southeast Asian bamboo became famous during World War II for its ability to overgrow jeeps rapidly, reportedly sometimes overnight. A mature specimen can reach more than 100 feet in height and 12 inches in diameter.
