The banyan is the national tree of India and is known for sending roots down from its branches.
The banyan is Ficus benghalensis, a fig tree native to the Indian subcontinent. Its most recognizable feature is its aerial roots, which grow from horizontal branches toward the ground. When they reach the soil, they can thicken into supporting trunks, allowing one tree to spread across a large area.
The famous Great Banyan at the Indian Botanic Garden near Kolkata is often described as having one of the largest canopies of any tree. It is not a single forest, however: its many trunk-like supports are connected to one original plant. Banyans also produce figs that are eaten by birds and mammals, helping disperse their seeds.
“Banyan” is a common name rather than a species name. Several related Ficus species can have a similar growth habit, but Ficus benghalensis is the species traditionally meant by the national-tree reference.