The Great Banyan

The Great Banyan in Howrah. Main trunk has died but thousands of aerial roots remain

One of the trees with the largest canopy in the world. This Ficus benghalensis is considered to be some 200 – 250 years old, the area of the canopy – 1.5 hectares, circumference of the canopy – 1 kilometer. Height up to 25 meters, contains some 2,880 aerial roots rooted in soil.

Valley of Flowers

Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand

High-altitude Himalayan valley with beautiful meadows of alpine flowers complemented by beautiful views on surrounding mountains. Mass flowering starts in early spring and lasts up to September. Known in Hindu mythology since ancient times, inhabited by fairies according to local legends.

Giblin River Stromatolites

A rare colony of freshwater stromatolites in karstic wetlands of Giblin River. Stromatolites have developed on the karstic spring mounds.

The Temple Fig

Giant white fig (Ficus virens) that has a circumference of 19 m and is 36 m tall. If measured at the height of 1.4 m, the circumference is even 30.7 m! Crown of the tree is 45 m wide.

Bundera Sinkhole

Some 70 m deep, flooded sinkhole with anchialine ecosystem – e.g. the groundwater in this cave is connected to the sea, while at the surface is less saline water. Here live unique species of remipedes – Lasionectes exleyi – crustaceans with the only other relative species in the Caribbean as well as some more unique organisms. These organisms are relicts of the Mesozoic era.

Stewart’s Tree

85 m tall karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor). There are frequently found specimens of this species that are more than 80 m tall.

Alpine Ash in Florentine Valley

Highest alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T.Baker). Height 87.9 m, girth 9.6 m, volume 161 m3. Name in forestry databases – TT 79.