Plants are the most obvious of life forms to the casual visitor to the Australian tropical rainforest. Most plants are linked by their ability to make their own food through the use of sunlight in a reaction known as 'photosynthesis'. The tropical rainforests of the Wet Tropics are the richest area of Australia for plant diversity. There are at least 1160 species of higher plants recorded from the north-eastern Queensland rainforests, with new species being named every year.
Plant Adaptations
With over 80 inches of rain per year, as opposed to the desert's 10 inches or less, plants have adaptations that let them shed water efficiently. The leaves of many rainforest plants have drip tips for this purpose. Buttress and stilt roots are thought to provide extra support for trees growing in spongy, wet grounds. The plants also have adaptations to take in what little sunlight is available in the dark forest. Large leaves are common; they increase the amount of sunlight a plant can capture. Other plants, like orchids, grow high up in where there is more sunlight.