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Plants on Plants – The Biology of Vascular Epiphytes pp 67–93Cite as

Functional Anatomy and Morphology

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Part of the book series: Fascinating Life Sciences ((FLS))

Abstract

Form and function go together. Thus, this chapter explores how anatomical and morphological features of vascular epiphytes can be interpreted as predisposition or adaptation to the challenges of structurally dependent existence. I start out with a critical discussion of the notion that epiphytes are generally small statured, followed by a treatment of particularities of shoot architecture in epiphytes, e.g., the possibility of pendant forms. Then, I discuss the morphology of the other basic plant organs (leaves, roots) in comparison to soil-rooted flora. Other characteristics of central importance for life in trees are seed size and morphology as determinants of dispersal characteristics—there is surprisingly little information on this for epiphytes, particular in regard to functional analyses. Finally, a sudden change in morphology during ontogeny that is quite common among epiphytic bromeliads (heteroblasty) and its functional implications are discussed.

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  1. Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany

    Gerhard Zotz

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  1. Gerhard Zotz
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Zotz, G. (2016). Functional Anatomy and Morphology. In: Plants on Plants – The Biology of Vascular Epiphytes. Fascinating Life Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39237-0_4

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