- Asian insect and flower species can show striking similarities. For instance, the giant Asian mantis originates from Southeast Asia and greatly resembles both the giant Malaysian mantis and the giant Indian mantis. It is around 4 inches when fully grown and will often hold itself as if in prayer, hence the frequent addition of the word "praying" to its name. Individuals' colors can vary between reddish-brown and yellow-green.
- Biologists use the term "cline" to describe a trait that shows graduation over a geographical region. This can be seen in insects such as the clipper. This butterfly is found in the forested areas of South and Southeast Asia. The Clipper has a range of beautiful background colors, changing from brown in the Philippines to green in India and blue in Malaysia.
- The Southeast Asian rainforests are some of the oldest on Earth. They support a stunning range of insect and plant life. Despite this range, there are some interesting similarities. For instance, just one family of tree--the Dipterocarpaceae, which includes rainforest trees such as camphor--dominates the lowland rainforests of Sumatra, Malaysia and Borneo.
- The varied waterways of Asia support a range of plant life. The lotus is the national flower of Vietnam and India. It is known by a variety of names that include sacred lotus, Indian lotus and bean of India. Mangrove trees and shrubs occur across Asia's southern coast, in all Southeast Asian countries and the Indian subcontinent.
- Asia boasts some of the most impressive mountains on Earth. Jasmine is thought to have originated on the slopes of the Himalayas in western China. In South and Southeast Asia, women wear jasmine flowers in their hair. Many types of orchid can also be found in the valleys between Chinese mountains. Alpinia zerumbet is a type of ginger found on mountains in China and Japan.
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