The Galapagos are home to a wide-ranging assortment of unusual plants and animals. The variety of plants on the islands is quite large since they all have different climates.
Coastal Area Plants
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The coastal plant community grows in what is frequently referred to in the texts as the Littoral Zone.These plants can be described as having, of necessity, a high salt tolerance and form two distinct groups.
Mangroves
These are the evergreen trees you will see along the shore throughout the islands, forming groves in and around sheltered lagoons. There are several species, including the black, button, red, and white mangrove, each readily identifiable by leaf structure. Also, aerial prop (support) roots are unique to the red mangrove.
The red is the most common and arrived in the Galapagos on its own; the pod-shaped seedlings, typically dispersed by sea, were able to float across the ocean, root in the mud, take hold, and grow. If you are panga-riding through Black Turtle Cove (Caleta Tortuga Negra), Santa Cruz Island, take a look at the oysters fixed to the base of the red mangrove. The black mangrove has the highest salt tolerance, as its
leaves are equipped with special salt-excreting glands. Actually, several of the varieties have root systems that filter out salt, allowing the leaves to receive fresh water. Depending on the location, these same roots will anchor the tree to the rocks, gather material ail around to help stabilize the beach or lagoon shore, and/or project into the air for breathing purposes. |
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