9781422277034

BRAZIL NUT TREE The Brazil nut tree is the largest tree growing in the Amazon Jungle and can grow to heights of 160 feet (48.7 meters). Brazil nuts grow inside fruits that weigh 5 pounds and are shaped like baseballs. The fruit’s outer layer is so tough that only large rodents called agoutis, which have extremely sharp teeth, are able to crack it open. GIANT WATER LILIES Giant water lilies (Victoria amazonica) were discovered in 1801. The circular leaves of this plant are so large that a child weighing up to 99 pounds (45 kilograms) can sit in the center of it! These plants grow in the backwaters of the Amazon River basin. The flowers of this plant only live about forty-eight hours. On the first night the

The pad of a giant water lily can easily support the weight of a large child.

Chapter 1: Unique Vegetation and Trees 13

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