To fight the potential invasion plants protect themselves in many clever ways. Some produce toxins strong enough to keep predators at bay. Others produce thick sticky sap that makes it difficult for the invaders to eat or move through. Some leaves have drip tips that drain water off their surface, keeping the leaf surface dry and free of fungus. Some trees and shrubs protect themselves with limbs and trunks that are extremely dense and therefore too hard for insects to chew into.
Some plants have deep red new growth.
These plants put all their energy into growing new growth without chlorophyll. Instead of chlorophyll the plants put large amounts of toxins into the new growth, protecting the tender shoots until they have grown large enough. When the shoots are large enough the plant produces chlorophyll for the long, new shoots. The jungle flora is involved in an aggressive fight to protect itself from invaders that hide everywhere in this humid environment. As we progressed down the river we saw caiman now and then.