18. 



among many European totanists.In his first paper 

 on epiphytes he classified the air plants into four 

 groups according to their anatomical structure and 

 their adaptation to the environment. Those epiphytes 

 which derive their nutrient material mainly fran the 

 surface of the suhstratum to which they are attached 

 he placed into the first group. In this group are the 

 orchids and the aroids which get their mineral nutrients 

 and water trough, the velamen of the roots. The plants 

 of the second group are those that send roots, which 

 are hoth anchoring and ahsorhingjdown into the substratum, 

 Clusia and Antjaurium pelmatum belong to this group. 

 In the third group are those epiphytes which form root 

 mats and which may also have both anchoring and 

 absorbing ro o t s , Po ly po dium phyllitidis and Oncidium 

 altissiraum are examples of this group. In the fourth 

 group belong those epiphytes which secure their 

 nutrient materials entirely through leaves and lose their 

 roots altogether, A striking example of this group 

 is Tillandsia u sneoides , 



Schimper's classic v;ork on epiphytes appeared 

 several years later, It was then tha.t the complete 

 results of his study of theitropical epiphytes were 

 first published (25), It is safe to say that this 

 paper stimulated all the work on European "epiihytes" 

 that was carried on during the re xt several years. 



