walking trees of Ecuador

[Alcuin]

Was reading this evening, came across this:

Like the Ents from JRR Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Rings saga (only a bit slower), these trees actually move across the forest as the growth of new roots gradually relocates them, sometimes two or three centimetres per day.

I’d never before heard of such a thing (in real life).

Dug a little further, found this:

Anyone who has ever seen the peculiar carnivorous Venus flytrap plant gobble up a fly knows that plants can take on some decidedly unplantlike behavior. Trees, as we all know, are pretty stationary: they stay more or less where you plant them, and no one worries about finding a tree wandering around a park or back yard.

There is one unique exception, some say: the so-called walking palm tree (Socratea exorrhiza) found in Latin America. Many people believe it can literally walk around (more or less). This is because of its unusual root system; while most trees have one trunk, the palm splits into many smaller roots a few feet off the ground, giving it the appearance of many little legs.

Wikipedia article is sparse:

Socratea exorrhiza, the Walking Palm or Cashapona, is a palm native to rainforests in tropical Central and South America. It can grow to 25 metres in height, with a stem diameter of up to 16 cm, but is more typically 15–20 m tall and 12 cm in diameter. It has unusual stilt roots, the function of which has been debated. Many species of epiphyte have been found growing on the palms. The palm is pollinated by beetles, and various organisms eat its seeds or seedlings.

The trees are quite endangered.