Air Plants -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- 1. What is an Epiphyte? -- Getting to Know the Epiphytes -- Body Plans -- The Epidermis -- Other Notable Features of the Epiphytes -- Starting at the Beginning -- Geological History -- Geographic Distribution -- Use by Humans -- Conservation -- 2. The Types of Epiphytes and Their Evolutionary Origins -- The Free-Living Epiphytes -- The Biological Underpinnings of Epiphytism -- How Epiphytism Evolved -- The Taxonomic Affiliations of the Epiphytes -- Genetic Heritage and Evolutionary Options -- Epiphytism and Speciation -- 3. Epiphytes in Communities and Ecosystems -- The Nature of Aerial Habitats -- Mineral Nutrients -- Water -- Light -- Epiphytes as Members of Communities -- Random Factors Also Structure Communities -- Ecological Succession -- What Makes a Tree a Host for Epiphytes? -- How Epiphytes Can Impact Their Hosts -- Nutritional Piracy -- Additional Ways That Epiphytes Harm Their Hosts -- Manifold Effects on Ecosystems -- 4. Water Management -- Variations on Basic Themes -- How Biological Structure Relates to Function -- Water Management -- How Epiphytes Cope with Drought -- Drought Avoidance -- Leaf Economics -- Roots -- Leaves as Proxies for Roots -- 5. Photosynthesis and Mineral Nutrition -- The Photosynthetic Syndromes -- C3 versus CAM-type Photosynthesis -- Light and Adaptive Growth -- Mineral Nutrition -- The Mistletoes -- 6. Reproduction and Other Interactions with Animals -- Pollination -- Fruits and Seeds -- Asexual Reproduction -- Plant Defenses -- Ants and Epiphytes -- Termites -- Leafy Tanks and Phytotelms -- Case Studies -- 7. The Epiphytic Monocots -- Orchidaceae -- The Vegetative Body -- Reproduction and Speciation -- The Adaptive Types -- Bromeliaceae -- Bromeliads versus Orchids -- Adaptations for Epiphytism -- Hemi-epiphytism -- The Atmospheric Bromeliads -- Araceae.

Amaryllidaceae and Additional Families in Order Liliales -- 8. The Epiphytic Eudicots -- Cactaceae -- General Characteristics -- Adaptations for Epiphytism -- Evolutionary History -- Ecology -- Reproduction -- Ericaceae -- Adaptations for Epiphytism -- Epiphytism and Speciation -- Reproductive Biology -- Horticulture -- Gesneriaceae -- Adaptive Variety -- Evolutionary History -- Reproductive Biology -- Rubiaceae -- Melastomataceae -- Apocynaceae -- Solanaceae -- 9. The Pteridophytic Epiphytes -- The Major Groups of Pteridophytes -- The Ferns -- The Lycophytes -- 10. Miscellaneous Epiphytes -- Piperaceae -- The Carnivorous Epiphytes -- The Stranglers and Other Primary Hemi-epiphytes -- The Gymnosperms -- Additional Oddities -- 11. Threats and Conservation -- How Epiphytes Influence Microclimates -- Contributions to Biodiversity -- Global Change -- Excess Nutrients -- Plant Invasions -- Habitat Loss -- Glossary -- References -- Subject Index -- Taxon Index.