Identification of the interesting tree that grows in South Florida and twines around a host tree such as a palm and strangles it...I was fascinated by this tree and took several pictures...also I researched in Wikipedia (my science bible) and one photo below will give more info...(Biology Teacher?). Banyan Tree of Southern Florida A banyan is a kind of fig. It usually starts life by growing on another plant as an epiphyte. Its seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host tree, or on other structures like buildings and bridges. The seeds of banyans are dispersed by fruit-eating birds. The seeds are small, and most banyans grow in forests, so that a plant germinating from a seed that lands on the ground is unlikely to survive. However, many seeds land on branches and stems of trees or on buildings. When those seeds germinate they send roots down towards the ground, and may envelop part of the host tree or building structure, giving banyans the casual name of strangler fig. In a banyan that envelops a support tree the mesh of roots growing round the support tree eventually applies very considerable pressure and commonly kills the tree. Such an enveloped dead tree eventually rots away so that the banyan becomes a columnar tree with a hollow central core. In jungles such hollows are particularly desirable shelters to many animals.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 00:54:08 +0000
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