Plants of the Rainforest

As animals, there are also many different types of plants that live in the rainforests. There are around 250,000 different kinds of plants in the Rainforests. 25,000 of these plants are facing extinction. Some of these plants benefit us majorly by providing medicines and sometimes even cures for different varieties of illlnesses. Below are a few of the many different plants inhabiting the forests.

Epiphytes:

These are plants that grow on trees. They make no contact whatsoever with the ground and pretty much just sit there. These plants get their food by obtaining nutrients when falling debris, trapped around the exposed roots, decompose. They get water from the air. Epiphytic mosses and lichens are a few of these types of plants.

Astrocaryum:

A stemless mini Palm tree. This tree acts like a trashcan, collecting dead leaves. It then extracts the nutrients contained in them.

Ayahuasca Vine:

Known as the vine of the dead. It is sometimes used in Shamanic rituals. By itself, the plant is used for vomiting, but when mixed with certain other plants, it becomes an hallucinogenic, creating power visions and the sensation of visiting other worlds.

Piri-piri, Medicinal Sedges:

Native people use this plant to treat a variety of health problems such as headaches, fevers, cramps, dysentery and wounds as well as to ease childbirth. This plant was once thought to be just a superstition because it is so widely used.

Curare:

Curare is used to make the poison that is applied to the tip of blowguns. It was originally used by the indigenous people for hunting animals but it can also be used for other things as well. The Machiguenga use it for treating skin infections.

Cat's Claw

This vine has been used to treat inflammations, colds, arthritis and other conditions for hundreds of years. Peruvian researchers are now studying the possible benefits for AIDS and cancer patients. It is being used know for making medicinal teas.

PassionFlower:

Passionflowers are usually very bright plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Both animal and human use the fruit that this plant produces.

Emergents:

Large trees that push their way to the top of the canopy of the rainforest.

Khaya Ivorensis:

A tree that grows in the Rainforest. Collectively, they are known as the African Mahogany. It can reach heights of up to 60 meters and reach a diameter of 1.8 meters.


Each of these plants has it's own use, either by providing food, medicine, or by being used to make cosmetics, and other such things. If we destroy these plants, we may be missing out on making a great discovery such as a cure for Cancer or for AIDS. We must do all we can to protect these plants from becoming extinct. They may just be our lifesaver.

Go To Page: 1

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic