Nevertheless, certain characteristics appear in rainforests around the world. Some of the big trees in a rainforest have buttressed trunks, that is the trunk widens at the base with thin vertical plank-like structures. In architecture, buttresses are used to provide sturdy support with a minimum of materials. Woody vines, or lianas, which look like huge cables, grow to diameters of a foot or more. The stems of these vines loop through the rainforest understory and rise to spread their leaves high up on the top of the canopy where light is abundant.
Epiphytes grow on tree trunks and branches high above the ground, where the light is brighter.
Some epiphytes, like ferns and anthurium, survive in the dark understory while others, like certain orchids, grow high in the rainforest canopy where the sunlight is brightest. Large-leafed understory plants, like heliconias and palms, are found in the rainforest understory and in forest openings. A tropical rainforest is rich, luxuriant and fascinating. It is a place of earthy, humid smells, a surprisingly wide array of sounds and calls, flashes of color and subtle camouflage. The tastes of tropical cuisines and unusual fruits can be very exciting.