What is the main vegetation in the rain forest?

Rain Forest Vegetation

Rain Forests are grouped into two major types: tropical and temperate. Most might say the main vegetation is trees, but rain forests have a vast amount of different kinds of vegetation. Here's some more information:

A tropical rain forest has broadleaf evergreen trees that form a closed canopy, and abundance of vines and plants that grow on the trees called epiphytes, a relatively open forest floor, and a large number of species of plants and animals. The largest areas of this type of rain forest are in the Amazon basin of South America, the Congo basin and other lowland equatorial regions of Africa, and on the mainland and islands off Southeast Asia. Small areas of tropical rain forests can also be found in Central America and along the Queensland Coast of Australia.

Temperate Rain Forests grow in higher-latitude regions that have wet, maritime climates. They are less extensive than the tropical rain forests, but have some of the most valuable timber in the world. The trees often exceed those of tropical forests in height, but the diversity of species is not as vast. Notable temperate rain forest areas are on the northwest coast of North America, southern Chile, Tasmania, and parts of southeastern Australia and New Zealand.

While you will find Conifers, such as Redwood and Sitka Spruce in the temperate rain forests of North America, the tropical rain forests of the southern hemisphere include trees like Eucalyptus, Araucaria, and Nothofagus. Though Rain Forests cover less than six percent of the Earth's total land surface, the are home to up to three-fourths of all known species of plants and animals.

First answer by Deb. Last edit by Deb. Contributor trust: 1130 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 40 [recommend question]