In article ,
ose [Sean Houtman] wrote...
From: "Alan Jones"

They stood up in the air on their roots and actually could move a
little distance each year.

How?

See picture at
http://boonedocks.net/pa/pa.php?p:339:s:15

To quote from that site, "This tree is known as the 'walking tree' because it
can move. If the tree needs to move, it just grows roots on that side and lets
other roots die. Eventually the tree is relocated."

That would cause the tree to fall over, whice is indeed moving. That tends to
be all at once and not a little bit each year though.

Right. It doesn't make sense.

The whole 'walking' idea seems pretty implausible, especially looking
at the symmetrical shape of the cones of stilt roots on these palms.
Even if the new roots were strongly contractile [unlikely], they're
not forming just on one side, and the older roots aren't letting go
as new ones form. If the old roots were dying or being uprooted, and
young roots were contractile, any one-sided new root formation ought
to pull the tree over, and not move it along horizontally while
staying upright.

I suspect it's just a myth based on the 'leglike' appearance of the
stilt roots. [How would anyone ever know if a wild rainforest palm
had moved a few inches or centimeters over a period of years?

Any contrary information?

cheers