The windward
sides of Caribbean islands tend to be the wettest.
On these coasts, from the lowlands until about 3,300 feet, you find the famed
evergreen tropical rain forest.
This contains
some of the world lushest and most diverse vegetation, with perhaps several
hundred different species fighting for the same space.
In
this tropical rain forest the tree canopy can extend as
high as 130-150 feet above ground. Many species tend to be slender
and well buttressed due to their shallow roots.
The
roots are shallow because most nutrients are in the upper soil levels.
The rich tree crowns of the rain forest canopy absorb
most of the light, leaving the ground in almost perpetual shade;
only 3 percent of the daylight actually reaches the rain
forest floor.
The
jungle, therefore, is in the thick canopy above, not on the
ground. That makes rain forests relatively easy places for walking except
when the soil is slick and muddy, which is quite often.
Rain
forests are where you do sometimes find Tarzan-sized
vines hanging from trees, and colorful, flower shop-quality bromeliads
and orchids. Ferns can be incredibly dense and rich: 500 species of fern grow
on Jamaica alone. Moss and lichen flourish profusely, making rock-hopping
a tricky maneuver.
Cloud
Forest/Elfin Woodland
Humid
Green & Dry Forests
Coastal
Mangrove Jungle
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