Ficus insipidaa

Status: While usage of the tree‘s bark for clothing and paper was used by Maya, the propagation in the 20th century of mills for and commercial creation of amate paper (bark paper) and modern techniques involving caustic soda and industrial chemicals has made harvest of the trees detrimental to the regional environments and water supplies in particular.

The Amate tree begins as a vine, but can grow to enormous size as a mature tree, bearing negligible flowers and edible though unflavorful small figs that the local fauna feed upon. In El Salvadore, there is a legend about the Amate tree. It is said that the tree bears no flower or fruit (as far as humans take interest in), but that it does bear an special ornate and extraordinarily beautiful flower. This flower can only be seen by children and deaf people. If one is lucky enough to find the flower, it can be captured with a white handkerchief, and the owner will then be bestowed with luck, even after the elusive flower vanishes.