Epiphytes (epi, meaning "surface," and phytes, meaning "plants") are plants that live on host plants, usually in the treetops. They include a wide variety of growth forms, ranging from woody structures to herbs. Epiphytes are not parasites but simply rely on their host trees for support. In return, they collect enough light to manufacture energy and also provide food and shelter for many organisms living in the treetops, such as insects, birds, and other small animals. More than twenty-five species of epiphytes have been classified by botanists, and more are found each year as botanists continue to find new ways to climb into the treetops of the tallest, unexplored regions of tropical rain forests.

Epiphytes have unique ecological characteristics that enable them to survive in the forest canopy. Some of these special adaptations include:

• holdfasts or other ways of adhering to the bark or branches of trees, so...