Epiphytes and Lianas Epiphytes and Lianas Slide 6 of 10 Air plants cling to tree trunks.
Many small plants growing in the dense tropical forest are epiphytes.
These plants grow on tree trunks without harming them. Wind and birds deposit epiphyte seeds onto a tree trunk. There the seed sprouts thick roots and anchor the plant to the tree. The small hitchhiker is closer to the sunlight without needing a long stem. A layer of dead cells on the roots absorbs water from the hot tropical air.