Galapagos Flora

Prickly Pear Cactus

There are 6 species and 14 varieties of prickly pear found in the archipelago. The tallest of these are treelike and can grow up to 12 metres tall. These taller Prickly Pears provide a good example of a plant that has evolved over the years to protect itself. This can be seen from the fact that the only islands where the cactus has become treelike are the ones where the giant tortoises and land iguanas who eat the pods are found.

Black Mangrove

These trees/shrubs are a good example of where ocean currents have helped to disperse the plant as the fruits float and therefore these trees are found on most of the islands. As well as having root extensions above ground, as they are normally found in very wet areas, a thin layer of salt is often found on the surface of the leaves. This salt does not come from sea spray but is excreted by the tree as it often grows in very salty areas. Can you name the reptile found in the Galapagos that also has its own desalination system? Click here to find out.

Galapagos Tomato

These are endemic to the islands and have yellow flowers and golden yellow to orange berries. They are eaten by tortoises and since they often remain in the digestive tract for up to 4 weeks this ensures dispersal a good distance from its parent plant.

Galapagos Cotton

Two endemic species of cotton grow in Galapagos. One is called Darwin's Cotton. Both are shrubs that grow to between 1 and 3 metres tall and have pretty yellow flowers.

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