Second epiphyte workshop to be held in Chile

1/8/2013

Professor Gerhard Zotz is working hard to connect epiphyte researchers around the world. He instigated the 2013 NZ Epiphyte Workshop and has now confirmed a similar event in Katalapi Park, Chile (scroll about half way down) in December.

Katalapi Park (or Parque Katalapi) has 28 hectares of forest and open space with high diversity of ferns and a canopy reaching 30 metres - sounds like good epiphyte country to me!

Here are some of their epiphytic species:

Asplenium dareoides
Found from the coast to 2000 m above sea level, growing on logs or the ground. Fronds are 7-15 cm long.

Hymenoglossum cruentum
Endemic to Chile, this fern is a low epiphyte and is found from 5 to 900 m. Dark green leaves reach up to 30 cm in length.

Hymenophyllum dicranotricum
Also endemic to Chile, this species occurs from 2 to 410 metres. Fronds reach 20 cm in length.

Polypodium feuillei
Occuring between 5 and 1250 metres, this fern has a thick fleshy rhizome and glabrous leaves tht reach up to 46 cm in length.

There are some real similarities between these species and ones that occur on trees in New Zealand: fascinating!

I haven't been to Chile recently (or ever... airfare sponsorship however is welcomed) so I have borrowed information and photos from these sources:

References:
Information: http://www.parquekatalapi.cl/fileadmin/templates/Katalapi_datos/Flora%20de%20Pichiquillaipe.pdf translated using google translate

Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7147684@N03/3439873824/sizes/l/in/photolist-6eYfDo-e9ouA3/
http://www.chileflora.com/Florachilena/FloraEnglish/HighResPages/EH0795.htm
http://www.chilebosque.cl/ffer/hdicr.html
http://floratalcahuano.blogspot.co.nz/2009/08/calahuala.html

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Catherine Kirby

I work with NZ's native vascular epiphytes at the University of Waikato. I completed an MSc on epiphyte ecology and the shrub epiphyte Griselinia lucida and have recently published the Field Guide to NZ's Epiphytes, Vines & Mistletoes.

For me, the highlights of epiphyte research are the many unknowns, the amazing way that these plants survive in the canopy, and of course tree climbing!

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