Sunday, August 26, 2012

Strangler Vine

While touring the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich, our guide, Patrick showed us the amazing strangler vine. This parasitic vine chooses its host tree, ascends while dropping its roots and eventually destroys its host's ability to obtain nutrients. After the host is dead and rotted, the strangler vine creates its own hollow tree and is extremely susceptible to high speed winds. It is also called the strangler fig.

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