Plant Life in Rainforests

Rainforests contain a wide diversity of plants that have evolved to thrive in very specific conditions. One of the most important factors is temperature, which can never drop below freezing if the plant life is to survive.

Adaptations

Rainforest plants have adapted to accommodate varying light conditions, heat and extreme amounts of rain. Leaves can be coated or shaped to shed water quickly and use leaf size and color to control use of sunlight.

Rainforest Layers

The rainforest has distinct layers called emergent, upper canopy, understory and forest floor. These layers support divergent types of plant life.

Emergent

This layer is the tallest, consisting of widely spaced giant trees that can grow from 100 to 240 feet tall. They have straight trunks, few lower branches and small, pointed leaves.

Upper Canopy

Trees 60 to 130 feet tall make up the upper canopy. Very little light gets below the top of this layer, which is the home to the majority of animal life in the rainforest.

Understory

Also called the lower canopy, this layer consists of 60-foot trees, air plants and shrubs, and is in constant shade.

Forest Floor

Due to lack of sunlight, little grows on the floor. It contains abundant organic matter that is absorbed by the trees' roots.

References

• Plants of the Rainforest