Living Heritage image.
 
Good Looks
Our local mangroves are low to the ground and have interesting roots...
They are called raft roots because they are just above the surface and are all connected and tangled together.  Why do they grow like this?  This protects them against waves and water washing against them.  Otherwise they might just fall over or get washed away.
Mangroves breathe through their roots!  They have aerial shoots like breathing tubes so they can poke up above the water and the mud.  The orangey dots on the root above are breathing holes called lenticels.
Mangrove leaves are bright green (unless they are covered with grey mud!) with yellow stems and a network of veins.  They are waxy and grow to above the size of the palm of your hand.
Seeds are designed to float.
Flowers are small and pale yellow clusters.
From seed                                                     to seedling.
Lenticels take in air