Trees, flowers and mushrooms of the Amazon rainforest

12-19 August 2005

Pictures of trees, flowers, bromeliads, and different types of mushrooms found during hiking trips in the Amazon rainforest, an environment where the vegetation plays one of the most important roles that is at the base of the ecosystem.

Photo of kapok tree. A kapok is probably the biggest tree that can be found in the Amazon rainforest and is characterized by a very strong wood.

More photos of kapok tree, showing the typical reinforcements at the base of the trunk.

A younger and smaller kapok tree.

Pictures of cocoa flowers and fruit.

Photos of bromeliads growing on top of other trees. Bromeliads are not parassites, but they take the opportunity to grow on some soil, based mainly on rotting leaves and wood, that accumulates on the branches of other trees. Growing at such heights, makes possible to get much more light and some sun, if compared to ground level.

Small plants growing instead at ground level.

Nice leaves using other trees as "tutors" to climb towards the light. The vegetation in the Amazon rainforest looks a kind of competition to win the light upwards.