Epiphyte

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/epiphyte

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is an epiphyte?An epiphyte is a plant that grows on the surface of another plant or organism for support. It does not take food from its host; it gets moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, or debris.
2. How do epiphytes get water and nutrients if they don’t grow in soil?Epiphytes have special roots or leaf structures that soak up water and minerals from the air or from rainwater that collects on their surfaces. Some have spongy root layers or leaf‑tanks that hold water and organic matter.

Epiphyte: A plant that grows non-parasitically on another plant, deriving sustenance from the air and rain.
Phorophyte: The plant or organism that serves as the substrate for an epiphyte's growth.
Velamen: A specialized spongy tissue found on the aerial roots of orchids and other epiphytes for water absorption.
Bioindicator: An organism whose presence, absence, or abundance reflects the condition of an environment.