CHAPTER II 

 GUILDS 



Introduction, i. Lianes. Scramblers, Root ■ climbers, Twiners, Tendril-climbers 

 Geographical distribution of lianes. 2. Epiphytes. Oecological conditions of life 

 Transition from the terrestrial to the epiphytic mode of life. Contrivances for ensurinj 

 dispersal of seeds. Geographical distribution of epiphytes. 3. Saprophytes. Occur 

 rence in families of plants. Connexion between structure and mode of life. Geographica 

 distribution. Hemisaprophytes. 4. Parasites. Hemiparasites and holoparasite: 

 Resemblances to saprophytes. Organs of absorption : haustoria. Occurrence in familie 

 of plants. Geographical distribution. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Dispersed among the plants that occupy the ground and are essential!} 

 responsible for the building up of the formations, there are ahnost ahvay 

 found other plants of quite different modes of life, which appear indis 

 criminately as accessory components of the most diverse formations vvithou 

 ever grouping themselves into one of their own. In fact they are unable t 

 do so, for they depend on other plants for their existence. Each of thes 

 groups of plants has, in accordance with its mode of life, characteristic trait 

 which may undergo many modifications with any change in the environmen' 

 but which always remain unchanged in their leading features. Such oecc 

 logical groups are termed guilds^. They are four in iwxmhcv—lianc. 

 epiphytes, sapropJiytcs, parasites. 



The transition between the plants that produce formations and the plant) 



that form guilds is supplied by the lithophytes described in the precedin 



chapter, which range themselves into formations of their own, but also occi 



as subsidiary components on scattered rocks and stones in the midst ( 



other formations. Lithophytes in particular show intimate relations wit 



epiphytes, and many plants thrive as well on the surface of rocks as on th 



bark of trees. 



I. LIANES-. 



I 



Whilst fonnerly only climbing woody plants were termed lianes. I 



Schenck includes under this term all plants that take root in the groun 



and, being furnished with long stems having long internodes, make use ( 



other plants as supports in order to raise their foliage and flowers from th 



1 Schimper, op. cit., p. 8. 2 h_ Schenck, I and II. 



