Bougainvillea The
bougainvillea plant grows in the biome of the
Amazon rainforest in South America. The Longitudes
of the biome are 35û West to 65û West and the
Latitude, 15û South to 5û North. The countries that
lie in this biome are Brazil (mostly), Bolivia,
Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela. The
rainforest has thousands of plant species and is
the home for many animals, too. The plant
can reach over thirty feet. It can either be vines,
trees, or shrubs with sharp thorns. The leaves of
the bougainvillea are shaped like little hearts
with drip tips at the ends. They are dark rich
green and look almost like ivy leaves. On the
underside of the leaves there are little hairs. The
flowers of the bougainvillea can be several
different colors, from pink, to red, to orange, to
white and yellow. They are small tubes with three
papery bracts around them. The flowers grow all
over the canes and vines. The root system of the
bougainvillea is very fragile and doesn't form a
good firm root ball. Bougainvillea has many adaptations to its climate and environment. It has many hooks so it can cling and hold onto other plants for support. Also, it can grow in full sunlight to semi-shade. It also has become a houseplant so it can survive house climates, and the Amazon's warm wet climate. The leaves have drip tips so it can get rid of the rushing water fast and not get weighed down by the water. The plant of bougainvillea is very abundant in the wild and is not endangered at all. It is not endangered because when it is vine like it spreads very quickly even though it does not have seeds and also it is almost insect-free. Great thorns protect it. In conclusion, the bougainvillea is a very wonderful plant and has its own unique way of life. It leaves and flowers are very unusual also. It can grow in many different ways from shrubs to vines to trees. It also lives in a very interesting place. by Shelby I. 2003
bibliography: Crocket, James U. "Flowering House Plants." Time Life Encyclopedia of Gardens. 1971 ed. Taylors Mastor Guide to Gardening. Woughton Mifflin Company, 1994. "Bougainvillea." "Amazon maps- World Rainforest and
Amazon Co countries." "Bougainvillea." "Bougainvillea." Wyman's Encyclopedia. 1971 ed. "Floridata: Bougainvillea
Species." Phil and Jean Hovey. "Plant Answers." http://www.plantanswers.com/bougainvilia.htm (2/10/03). "South American Weather." "What Does Adaptation Mean?" http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/ (2/10/03).
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