No doubt your eyes are drawn to the large, silver-bluish leaf in today"s photo, but there"s a little more to this colorful display. We"re on the floor of a Mexican rainforest to examine a large Cecropia leaf and some lobster claw petals. The genus called Cecropia contains some of the most recognizable neotropical trees anywhere, but the roughly 60 different species can be hard to tell apart. All Cecropias grow fast, by tree standards anyway. On average, they"ll climb about 2.5 feet per year and under perfect conditions can grow as much as 10 feet in that time, eventually reaching around 60 feet tall. When dried, Cecropia leaves shrivel into a fist-like form which displays interesting patterns and shapes. Not only are Cecropias very popular with animals like sloths, monkeys, and toucans for their fruit and leaves, many species have a symbiotic relationship with Azteca ants. Cecropias provide shelter and food for ants, and the ants in turn defend the trees from plant-eating predators.
Cecropia leaf and lobster claw petals in Mexico
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Castle Square, Old Town, Warsaw, Poland
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Belgium celebrates its independence
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Union Square, Manhattan
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A little bit of Wonderland in New York City
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Birds of a feather
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A wassailing we go
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Jeju Island, South Korea
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Humpbacks return to the Inside Passage
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Celebrating Mexico in a Cultural Capital
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International Polar Bear Day
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High trekking season in Upper Mustang
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There’s treasure in them thar hills
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It s Computer Science Education Week
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Here there be dragons
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Old Town in Prague, Czech Republic
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A species no longer at risk
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A day of death and rebirth
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Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act marks 42 years
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Signs of life in the Empty Quarter
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Let’s go mothing
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Rosa Parks Day
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Hiding in plain sight
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Let the games (finally) begin!
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Innerdalsvatna Lake, near Ålvundeidet, Norway
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Happy Father s Day
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Great on so many levels
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Bathing in the light of Pride
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The first ascent
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International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples
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A state-of-the-art lookout on the Rock of Gibraltar