"Banyan" usually means the Indian banyan or "Ficus benghalensis". It is the National tree of the Republic of India. and of Bangladesh respectively. However, the term actually includes all figs which share their epiphytic life cycle. They are put in the subgenus Urostigma. The seeds of banyans are dispersed by fruit-eating birds. The seeds germinate and send down roots towards the ground. These roots may envelop (cover) part of the host tree or building structure, from which they get the casual name of strangler fig.