Rainforest plants generate oxygen for our atmosphere

Rainforest Plants

The rainforest is a very special place, and it is especially so for plant life. The rainforest plants serve a number of very important purposes, such as generating oxygen into the atmosphere, shading the forest, and providing food and shelter for animal life. It has been discovered that many different types of rainforest plants actually hold the key to medicine and cures to several diseases. These plants are usually found nowhere else in the world, making them a very valuable asset that should be treated with respect and protected. The plants of the rainforest usually thrive much better than plants in many other environments because of their ideal conditions. Warm, humid air and plenty of moisture contribute to their large size and tough leaves. Beautiful flowers also grow in the rainforest, such as bromeliads, which are thick stalked, pineapple-like flowers.

Believe it or not, some rainforest plants are actually carnivorous. This means that they eat animals and insects. The pitcher plant is a large plant that contains a sticky material used to catch insects, which feed the plant. In some cases, mammals or other small animals that attempt to steal the insects from the pitcher plant can be stuck inside of its trunk, and the plant will actually consume them as well. Another of the interesting rainforest plants is the liana, which is a large, climbing vine. This vine can grow in lengths of up to 3,000 feet, and usually grows beginning on the floor of the forest, climbing its way up the trees. About 90 percent of the world’s vine species are found in the rainforest. Bamboo is also found in many rainforests. This beautiful, towering plant is food for many of the animals that live there. Some types of bamboo can grow to be up to 80 feet tall! All of the beautiful plants found in the rainforest serve some kind of purpose that helps life go on within the beautiful forest.