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Strangler Fig

Valparai, Tamil Nadu, Aug 2007

The seed of the strangler fig starts life high in the trees, borne by birds and mammals which eat the fig fruit. The seedling fig sends down long roots to the ground from where it begins to surround the host tree. It grows quickly and eventually suffocates the host. By using an adult tree as its host, the strangler fig avoids competition for light and nutrients at ground level.


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