A close-up of the buttressed bases of cypress trees. Cypress tree trunks are usually enlarged at the base and spread into buttresses. While here they may look like vines, strangler figs are trees that begin growth from a dispersed seed. Strangler figs grow above the canopy of their host tree and send aerial roots down to the ground. In many cases, the strangler fig will engulf and kill the host tree.
Orchids are incredibly diverse.
Some have a single flower and others have many flowers. Some orchids are epiphytes and others grow in the soil. Some orchids have no smell, while others have spicy or offensive scents. About 140 species of orchids are native to North America. Orchids are common in Florida's forests, however, due to orchid collecting, many orchids are listed as endangered.