COP15: Interesting plants to see in Xishuangbanna garden

The Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) houses over 13,000 plant species, of which the Victoria lotus and Pandanus trees are probably the most interesting.

Lotus Victoria has giant leaves floating on the water that can support a human of 70 kilograms. Its leaf features thorns that face toward the water, giving rise to great buoyancy.

Rich in roots, the Pandanus trees usually grow near the ocean. Few people know that Xishuangbanna used to be part of the sea many years ago. That’s why the trees are still visible here.

Other interesting and strange species to see in the garden are Hedychium, Pteridophyta, Orchidaceae and more.

Located in South Yunnan, the XTBG is a typical spot of bio-diversity worldwide. It is a scientific institution and a scenic area as well.

Reporting by Feng Yushan (Xinhua); Photos by Zhang Chenliang; Trans-editing by Mo Yingyi