Leaf Catalogue of Central America
NAME AND PICTURE
Strangler Fig
Orchid
SCIENTIFIC
NAME OF
PLANT
Ficus aurea
Orchidaceae
GROWING
LOCATION
DEFENCE MECHANISMS
KEY/UNIQUE
CHARACTERISTICS
ABOUT PLANT
The parasitic
The fig has a symbiotic
The Strangler fig
fig can be
relationship with the fig
produces fruit
found on trees wasp, both species
several times a
in any tropical relying on the other to
year, and is the
climate,
survive.
main source of food
usually
The fig wasp’s life cycle is for hundreds of
rainforests
tied directly with that of
species
and islands.
the Strangler fig’s
A fully grown
flowers.
Strangler fig will
The inside of a “bulb” is
appear to be tall
carpeted with male and
canopy tree, part of
female flowers, as well as which will be
freshly laid Fig wasp
wrapped around a
eggs. The maturing of
dead “host” tree
both the flowers and the which the fig
wasps are tightly linked, “strangled” in order
so that when the female
to steal its sunlight
wasps are inseminated
and nutrients
by the male wasps and
The Strangler fig
hatch, the males die and
has waxy leaves to
the females, now covered protect it from
with pollen from the
moisture-wicking
flowers, burry out of the winds and sunlight.
bulb and fly off in search
of another bulb to burry
into, lay her eggs, and
then die, thus continuing
the life cycle of both
species.
The flower
One species of Orchid,
Orchids are pretty
can often be
called Coryanthes, are
flowers found
found
the fastest growing
growing from the
growing on
orchids (one year to
bark of trees. Most
the bark of a
bloom!). It is believed
of the fruits
tree, but is not that this adaptation is a
produced by an
parasitic.
defense mechanism to
orchid are edible
There are
the frequent forest fire.
(ex. Vanilla)
over 1400
species of
orchids on
Costa Rica
Pitcher plant
Nepenthes
The tropical
pitcher plant
is usually
grown on the
rainforest
floor, where
there is
humidity,
water and
varying levels
of sunlight.
Teak tree
Tectona
Grandis
The tree
grows on the
forest floor,
and prospers
in soil that is
slightly basic
(high pH)
Calabash
Lagenaria
siceraria
This leafy vine
can be found
wrapped
around a tree,
and are
usually found
in a warm
climate.
The pitcher plant
originated from a place
where the soil was
inadequate to support
their life (high acidity,
low nutrients). The plant
adapted a new way of
getting the nutrients it
needed, by developing an
attractive, sweet smelling
exterior and a tubular
structure is slippery, so
insects can’t escape once
they’ve entered.
Eventually, the insect
falls and is digested by
the plant’s various
enzymes.
Teak trees produce oil,
called Teak oil, in their
wood. This oil can be
very beneficial, as it a
waterproofing agent and
it helps to prevent the
wood from aging.
Therefore, if part of its
bark was ripped off and
its wood exposed, the
tree could still live,
impervious to weather.
The pitcher plant
has a tubular
structure, and a
sweet smelling,
insect-enticing
exterior.
The calabash vine
produces gourds that,
when mature, harden
and are very difficult to
smash or open,
protecting it from the
elements. It is believed,
however, that horses
were able to, and would,
smash mature gourds
with their hooves, eat the
insides and disperse the
calabash seeds in their
fecal matter.
The vine produces a
green gourd. The
gourds can be
harvested while
they are young, and
cooked like squash.
When mature, the
gourds dry out and
harden, and can be
fashioned into
drinking gourds.
The leaves can be
used to treat
headaches, diarrhea
and hypertension.
Teak trees can grow
up to 40 meters,
dominated by small
and fragrant white
flowers, and large
leaves that are
papery to the touch.
Air plants
Catoosa’s
berteroniana
Grows on
trees and
rocks in
tropical
climates,
where strong
light is
available.
Air plants such as
Catoosa’s berteroniana
are insectivorous. They
tend to grow on branches
above the foliage, where
they are visible to
insects. They are secured
to their respective
branches by a thick and
tangled root system (the
root system doesn’t pull
nutrients from the host
tree)
The yellow leaves
have a waxy,
powdery coating,
which makes it
appear that the
flower is glowing.
This waxy coating
also helps to
ensnare different
insects, which are
then pulled into the
flower’s interior
and digested.
Resurrection fern
Pleopeltis
polypodioide
s
This fern
grows on
rocks, logs or
tree trunks in
warm
climates.
The Resurrection fern
gets its name from its
unique reaction to
droughts. When a
drought occurs, the leaf
curls up and appears
grey and dead. Then,
when only a little water
the fern unfurls and
appears to come back to
life within 24 hours. This
adaptation allows it to
survive long periods of
drought.
The fern is about
25cm in height and
5cm in width, and
the extremities of
the long, thin leaves
are dotted with
brown spots. The
fern attaches itself
to braches of large
trees, and gather
nutrients from both
the water on the
tree’s bark and in
the air.
Angel’s
trumpet trees
grow best in a
partly shaded
area within
humid regions
like
rainforests.
To avoid being eaten, an
Angel’s trumpet tree
produces a toxin, a
hallucinogen called
Scopolamine. This toxin
interferes with the
nervous system, causing
problems with body
temperature, heart rate,
motor control and
mental processes.
The tree has
hanging, colorful,
sweet smelling
flowers with long,
green stems. The
tree has large leaves
as well.
Angel’s Trumpet tree Brugmansia
Coconut
Cocos
nucifera
Coconut trees
grow in
warm,
tropical
climates.
Coconut trees tend to
grow on beaches, and
areas where there are
violent gusts of wind.
The trunk of the coconut
tree has developed an
elastic quality, which
allows it to bend instead
of break.
Sensitive plant
Mimosa
pudica
This plant is
found on the
forest floor of
tropical
regions such
as South and
Central
America.
The Sensitive plant was
aptly named. When it is
touched, the leaves of the
plant curl in
methodically, protecting
itself from predators.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/strangler_figs.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Pitcher-Plants
http://www.evergreenseeds.com/calgouropo.html
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq5110.html
http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/shrub_fact_sheets/brusppa.pdf
http://www.gardenguides.com/129263-brugmansia-poisoning.html
While the coconut
itself is difficult to
get at and to crack
(the hard-shelled
exterior can be 2030m in the air), it
contains water and
potassium, and its
milk is a good
source of fat as well.
The Sensitive plant
has a pink flower
head, which
resembles fiber
optics with a bright
red center. The
leaves of the plant
resemble those of
the resurrection
fern.