Foliicolous Explained

Foliicolous refers to the growth habit of certain lichens, algae, fungi, liverworts, and other bryophytes that prefer to grow on the leaves of vascular plants.^{[1] [2] [3]} Foliicolous simply means 'growing upon leaves'^[4] whilst epiphyllous derives from the Greek ^[5] meaning on or over and means leaf^[6] so 'over leaf' and hypophyllous means 'under leaf'.^[7] The microhabitat on the leaf surface is called a phyllosphere.^{[2] [3]}

See also

• Epibiont
• Epiphytes
• Phyllosphere
• Epiphytic fungus
• Parasitic plant
• Epilith
• Microbiota

External links

• Dr. Robert Lücking's Foliicolous Lichen Homepage

Notes and References

1. Pócs . Tamás . Tóthmérész . Béla . Foliicolous bryophyte diversity in tropical rainforests . Abstracta Botanica . 1997 . 21 . 1 . 135–144.
2. Web site: Foliicolous lichens . Australian National Herbarium . Australian National Botanic Gardens . 23 January 2024.
3. Web site: Epiphyllous bryophytes . Australian National Herbarium . Australian National Botanic Gardens . 23 January 2024.
4. Web site: Definition of foliicolous . 2 August 2022 . www.merriam-webster.com . en.
5. Web site: Definition of epi- . 2 August 2022 . www.merriam-webster.com . en.
6. Web site: Definition of -phyllous . 2 August 2022 . www.merriam-webster.com . en.
7. Web site: Definition of hypophyllous . 2 August 2022 . www.merriam-webster.com . en.