Figure 3.12. (top) Distribution of the number
of species of lianas by plant family in Monteverde.
Figure 3.13. (left) Leaves and fruit of Clusia
stenophylla (Clusiaceae). Drawing by Willow
Zuchowski.cies. These families also contain many species that do
not grow as epiphytes (Fig. 3.14). For example, 49
species of orchids grow as terrestrial herbs, and one
species (Vanilla planifolia) is a trunk climber.
The abundance and diversity of epiphytes are
greatest in the cloud forest. Epiphyte density is high-
est on east-facing slopes and ridges where large tree
limbs support thick mats of moss, epiphytes, and ar-
boreal soil weighing hundreds of kilograms (Lawton
and Dryer 1980, Nadkarni 1984,1986,1994). The for-
est of the upper Pacific slope also supports an abun-
dant and diverse epiphyte community (Ingram and
Nadkarni 1993). More than 250 epiphyte species
were identified from the 4-ha Nadkarni research plots
(Ingram 1989, Ingram et al. 1996; see Ingram, "Epi-
phytes," p. 72, and Appendix 1). Some bromeliads of
this forest tract are described in Ingram et al. (1996; see
Luther, "Bromeliads," p. 73, and Appendix 4).
Epiphyte biomass is concentrated in the canopy.
Low light levels in the understory limit the epiphyte56 Plants and Vegetation