My colleague Rebecca recently took a holiday to Eastern Australia where she visited the Lamington National Park in Queensland and saw a plethora of epiphytes!
The common species of this area were nicely summarised by Winter et al. (1983) who studied the method of photosynthesis in common Australian epiphyte and vine species. Some of their results are presented in the following figure:
The common species of this area were nicely summarised by Winter et al. (1983) who studied the method of photosynthesis in common Australian epiphyte and vine species. Some of their results are presented in the following figure:
Summary of epiphyte distribution on a 40 m emergent Ficus watkinisiana tree in a subtropical rainforest in Dorrigo National Park, New South Wales. The symbols refer to photosynthetic mode for each species: ‘+’ = pronounced CAM photosynthesis (Crassulacean acid metabolism is a carbon fixation pathway that evolved in some plants as an adaptation to arid conditions), ‘±’ = weak CAM, and ‘-’ = C3 photosynthesis (considered to be present in species less adapted to arid conditions). Signs in brackets mean that the suggested mode has been inferred from leaf succulence (Winter et al. 1983).
We share species numbered 2 and 12 and the genera represented by 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 21 in our epiphyte/vine flora. Here are some photos of these plants and their relations, please submit a comment if you would like to name the nameless! Thanks to Jennifer Sanger for help with these.
Peperomia tetraphylla. Photo: R. Bylsma.
The roots of a hemiepiphytic fig wrapping around its host tree. Photo: R. Bylsma.
Dendrobium orchids on a large gum tree. Photo: R. Bylsma.
Peperomia, Dendrobium pugioniforme and other epiphytes. Photo: R. Bylsma.
Arthropteris tenella over the ditch. Photo: R. Bylsma.
Dendrobium speciosum and bird-nest ferns. Photo: R. Bylsma.
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