Chicle, used in chewing gum, comes from a tropical tree. And chocolate, popular worldwide, is from the cacao seed, a native of the tropical rainforest. Other useful products are made from rainforest plants. Oil from the cacao seed is also used in suntanlotions, cosmetics and soaps. The kapok tree produces silky, water resistant fibers used as filling in a number of products, such as life preservers, pillows, upholstery and insulation.
Rubber trees produce latex, used in making tires for cars, trucks and heavy equipment.
About one-fourth of all the medicines we use come from rainforest plants. Curare, from a tropical vine, is used as an anesthetic and to relax muscles for surgery. Quinine, from the cinchona tree, is used to treat malaria. More than 1,400 varieties of tropical plants are thought to be potential cures for cancer. The tallest layer contains the emergents , giant trees that grow to height of 250 feet or more.