noun
- Plants that grow on other plants or objects without drawing nutrients from them, obtaining water and minerals from the air and rain; air plants.
Usage: plural form; botanical term; also called epiphytes in some contexts, though aerophytes emphasizes air-dwelling rather than host-dwelling
Examples
- Aerophytes like orchids and bromeliads thrive in tropical rainforests by clinging to tree branches.
- Many aerophytes have specialized roots that absorb moisture directly from humid air.
- Tillandsia species are popular aerophytes grown indoors without soil.
- The greenhouse displayed a collection of aerophytes mounted on pieces of cork bark.
- Aerophytes do not harm their host plants because they do not extract nutrients from them.