This small amount of light encourages the plants to think of smart ways to survive. Did you know there are such things as solar collecting dark green leaves?  Plants that survive in the understory include dwarf palms and soft stocked species like the ginger family.  These plants can grow up to 12 feet in length.  Many plants in the understory rely on insects for their food.  Others have fruit on their trunks.  Many animals live in the understory, such as snakes and frogs.  This layer also has the largest amount of insects.