India, April 19 -- At first glance, the name Rain tree evokes an obvious association - it must have something to do with rain. And while the towering canopy does offer generous shade during the monsoon, the truth behind its name is far more curious.

"It's actually the work of spittlebugs," explained Dr CS Lattoo, a veterinary plant taxonomist, as he stood beneath the grand old tree on a balmy Friday morning at Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo (Byculla Zoo). "These bugs excrete large amounts of water, which drip steadily from the tree, creating a misty, rain-like effect - that's where the name comes from."

It was just one of the many delightful discoveries made during a four-hour tree walk through Mumbai's historic botanical garden...