Aerial roots

From BonsaiWIKI

Aerial roots are roots that descend directly from the trunk or branches of mature trees into the soil bed. Aerial roots are found often in species of ficus that grow in high humidity environments in tropical climates. Aerial roots are a characteristic of the banyan style

The function of aerial roots is to provide anchorage and moisture to the branches that make up the broad canopy of these trees, and enables them to extend over a wide area without the danger of uprooting the main trunk.