Epiphyte

[[File:Tillandsia bourgaei.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Tillandsia bourgaei]]'' growing on an oak tree in Mexico]]

[[File:Tillandsia bourgaei.jpg|thumb|right|''[[Tillandsia bourgaei]]'' growing on an oak tree in Mexico]]

An '''epiphyte''', from Ancient Greek [[wikt:ἐπι-|''epi-'']], meaning 'upon', and [[wikt:φυτόν|''phutón'']], meaning 'plant', is a [[plant]] or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called [[Phorophyte|phorophytes]]. Epiphytes take part in [[nutrient cycle]]s and add to both the diversity and biomass of the ecosystem in which they occur, like any other organism. In some cases, a rainforest tree's epiphytes may total "several tonnes" (several long tons).<ref>{{cite book | editor= Lisa Silcock | date= 1992 | title= The Rainforests - A Celebration | location= San Francisco | publisher= Chronicle Books | page= 154 | isbn= 0-8118-0155-1 }}</ref> They are an important source of food for many species. Typically, the older parts of a plant will have more epiphytes growing on them. Epiphytes differ from [[Parasitic plant|parasites]] in that they grow on other plants for physical support and do not necessarily affect the host negatively. An organism that grows on another organism that is not a plant may be called an [[epibiont]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Hickey, M.|title=The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms|author2=King, C.|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2001}}</ref> Epiphytes are usually found in the [[temperate zone]] (e.g., many [[moss]]es, [[Marchantiophyta|liverworts]], [[lichen]]s, and [[alga]]e) or in the tropics (e.g., many [[fern]]s, [[Cactus|cacti]], [[orchid]]s, and [[bromeliad]]s).<ref>''Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged''. (1976). Vol. I, p. 764. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Chicago.</ref> Epiphyte species make good [[houseplant]]s due to their minimal water and soil requirements.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dabbs|first1=Amy|date=19 December 2014|title=Epiphytes are easy to grow Houseplants get water from air|work=Post and Courier|url=http://www.postandcourier.com/features/home_and_garden/epiphytes-are-easy-to-grow-houseplants-get-water-from-air/article_3b5b195f-ab48-5b1c-92a7-c3d7cc9de4b8.html|access-date=15 December 2016}}</ref> Epiphytes provide a rich and diverse habitat for other organisms including animals, fungi, bacteria, and [[Mycetozoa|myxomycetes]].<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Sydney E. Everhart|author2=Joseph S. Ely|author3=Harold W. Keller|year=2009|title=Evaluation of tree canopy epiphytes and bark characteristics associated with the presence of corticolous myxomycetes|url=http://people.oregonstate.edu/~everhars/CanopyEpiphytes_Botany2009.pdf|url-status=dead|journal=Botany|volume=87|issue=5|pages=509–517|doi=10.1139/b09-027|bibcode=2009Botan..87..509E |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926011902/http://people.oregonstate.edu/~everhars/CanopyEpiphytes_Botany2009.pdf|archive-date=2013-09-26}}</ref>

An '''epiphyte''', from Ancient Greek [[wikt:ἐπι-|''epi-'']], meaning 'upon', and [[wikt:φυτόν|''phutón'']], meaning 'plant', is a [[plant]] or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called [[Phorophyte|phorophytes]]. Epiphytes take part in [[nutrient cycle]]s and add to both the diversity and biomass of the ecosystem in which they occur, like any other organism. In some cases, a rainforest tree's epiphytes may total several tonnes.<ref>{{cite book | editor= Lisa Silcock | date= 1992 | title= The Rainforests - A Celebration | location= San Francisco | publisher= Chronicle Books | page= 154 | isbn= 0-8118-0155-1 }}</ref> They are an important source of food for many species. Typically, the older parts of a plant will have more epiphytes growing on them. Epiphytes differ from [[Parasitic plant|parasites]] in that they grow on other plants for physical support and do not necessarily affect the host negatively. An organism that grows on another organism that is not a plant may be called an [[epibiont]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Hickey, M.|title=The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms|author2=King, C.|publisher=Cambridge University Press|year=2001}}</ref> Epiphytes are usually found in the [[temperate zone]] (e.g., many [[moss]]es, [[Marchantiophyta|liverworts]], [[lichen]]s, and [[alga]]e) or in the tropics (e.g., many [[fern]]s, [[Cactus|cacti]], [[orchid]]s, and [[bromeliad]]s).<ref>''Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged''. (1976). Vol. I, p. 764. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Chicago.</ref> Epiphyte species make good [[houseplant]]s due to their minimal water and soil requirements.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dabbs|first1=Amy|date=19 December 2014|title=Epiphytes are easy to grow Houseplants get water from air|work=Post and Courier|url=http://www.postandcourier.com/features/home_and_garden/epiphytes-are-easy-to-grow-houseplants-get-water-from-air/article_3b5b195f-ab48-5b1c-92a7-c3d7cc9de4b8.html|access-date=15 December 2016}}</ref> Epiphytes provide a rich and diverse habitat for other organisms including animals, fungi, bacteria, and [[Mycetozoa|myxomycetes]].<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Sydney E. Everhart|author2=Joseph S. Ely|author3=Harold W. Keller|year=2009|title=Evaluation of tree canopy epiphytes and bark characteristics associated with the presence of corticolous myxomycetes|url=http://people.oregonstate.edu/~everhars/CanopyEpiphytes_Botany2009.pdf|url-status=dead|journal=Botany|volume=87|issue=5|pages=509–517|doi=10.1139/b09-027|bibcode=2009Botan..87..509E |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926011902/http://people.oregonstate.edu/~everhars/CanopyEpiphytes_Botany2009.pdf|archive-date=2013-09-26}}</ref>

Epiphyte is one of the subdivisions of the [[Raunkiær plant life-form|Raunkiær system]].

Epiphyte is one of the subdivisions of the [[Raunkiær plant life-form|Raunkiær system]].