This is a list of all the species of vascular epiphytes known to occur within the MCFP’s Triangle area bounded by the Senderos Río, Nuboso, and Pantanoso, and from a four hectare area of lower montane wet forest set aside for research use (southwest of Sendero Nuboso) (Map 1.4).  The most typical growth habit observed is included for all species.  Degrees of abundance given are based on general observations and are not derived quantitatively.  Abundant species (A) are the most common and the most easily observed.  Common species (C) are fairly easy to observe, but less numerous than the most abundant class.  Uncommon epiphyte species (U) are seldom seen because they are few and widely dispersed.
 
 

Family/Species

Life Form

Abundance1

Reproduction2

ANGIOSPERMS
 
            Alzateaceae

Alzatea verticillata

hemiepiphyte

U

all year

  
             Aquifoliaceae

Ilex costaricensis	hemiepiphyte	U	VIII
I. hemiepiphytica	hemiepiphyte	C	IX-IV
I. vulcanicola	erect shrub	U	II-VIII

 
             Araceae

Anthurium davidsoniae	erect herb	C	XI
A.  friedrichsthalii	pendent herb	C	II,VII
A. microspadix	climbing herb	A	II,VII
A. monteverdense	erect herb	C	VII
A. obtusilobum	erect herb	C	II,IV,XI
A. pittieri	erect herb	U	VII
A. protensum	pendent herb	A	II,VII
A. ramonense	erect herb	U	IV
A. scandens ssp. pusillum	climbing herb	A	II,VII
Monstera dissecta	climbing herb	C	IV
Philodendron wilburii, ined	climbing herb	U	XI
Stenospermation sessile	erect herb	A	II,IV,VII
Syngonium hoffmannii	climbing herb	A	VII

                                
             Araliaceae

Oreopanax capitatus	hemiepiphyte	C
O. oerstedianus	hemiepiphyte	A	IV
Schefflera robusta	climbing shrub	U	VII
S. rodrigueziana	hemiepiphyte	U	V

 
             Asteraceae

Neomirandea angularis	erect herb
N. araliifolia	erect herb	C
N. arthodes	erect herb	U
N. eximia	erect herb	C
N. guevarae	erect herb	U
N. parasitica	erect herb	A	II,IV,VII,XI
N. psoralea	erect herb	C
Pentacalia candelariae	climbing shrub	C	IV
P. streptothamna	climbing shrub	C	IV
Sinclairia polyantha	climbing shrub	U

 
            Begoniaceae

Begonia estrellensis	climbing herb	A	VII-XI
B. glabra	climbing herb	C	IV
B. heydei	erect herb	C	II,VII
B. strigillosa	erect herb	U	XI

 
            Bignoniaceae [Now placed in Scrophulariaceae]

Schlegelia fuscata

climbing shrub

C

IV

 
             Bromeliaceae

Catopsis nitida	erect rosette	A	IV-X
Guzmania angustifolia	erect rosette	A	II,VII,XI
G. coriostachya	erect rosette	C	II,VII
G. nicaraguensis	erect rosette	A	II,IV,VII
G. plicatifolia	erect rosette	C	II,VII,XI
G. stenostachya	erect rosette	C	II
Pitcairnia atrorubens	erect rosette	U	XI
P. brittoniana	hemiepiphyte	A	II
Tillandsia adpressa var. tonduziana	bulbous rosette	C	VII,XI
Tillandsia excelsa	erect rosette	U	IV
T. insignis	erect rosette	A	II,VII,XI
T. punctulata	bulbous rosette	C	I, II, IV
Vriesea bracteosa	erect rosette	U	X
V. capitata	erect rosette	U
V. comata	erect rosette	C	II
V. graminifolia	erect rosette	U	XI
V. incurva	bulbous rosette	U	IV
V. notata	erect rosette	C	II
V. pedicellata	erect rosette	C	II
V. tonduziana	erect rosette	A	XI
V. umbrosa	erect rosette	C	XI
V. viridiflora	erect rosette	C	VII
V. vittata	erect rosette	U	IV
V. werckleana	erect rosette	U	I

 
            Cactaceae

Epiphyllum lepidocarpum

climbing succulent

U

I

 
            Campanulaceae

Burmeistera microphylla	erect herb	C	VII,XI
B. tenuiflora	erect herb	C	all year

 
            Clusiaceae 

Clusia minor	hemiepiphyte	C
C. palmana	hemiepiphyte	C
C. rotundata	hemiepiphyte	C
C. stenophylla	hemiepiphyte	C	II
C. torresii	hemiepiphyte	U

 
            Convallariaceae

Maianthemum monteverdense

arching herb

C

IV,VII,XI

 
            Cunoniaceae

Weinmannia wercklei*

tree

U

 
            Cyclanthaceae

Asplundia microphylla	climbing herb	A	IV
A. vagans	climbing herb	A	XI
Sphaeradenia laucheana ssp. irazuensis	erect herb	C	IV,XI

 
            Dioscoreaceae

Dioscorea lepida

climbing herb

C

II,IV,VII

 
            Ericaceae

Cavendishia bracteata	erect shrub	C	II,XI
C. capitulata	erect shrub	A	II,XI
C. complectens	erect shrub	C	II,XI
C. melastomoides	erect shrub	C	VII
C. quercina	erect shrub	U	IV
Disterigma humboldtii	scandent shrub	A	VII
Gaultheria gracilis	erect shrub	C	II
Macleania insignis	erect shrub	U	IV
Psammisia ramiflora	arching shrub	U	XI
Satyria warszewiczii	arching shrub	C	IV
Sphyrospermum buxifolium	erect shrub	C	VII
S. cordifolium	erect shrub	C	VII
Vaccinium poasanum	erect shrub	C	IV

 
            Gesneriaceae

Capanea grandiflora	arching shrub	U	IV
Columnea anisophylla	arching shrub	U	II,VII
C. consanguinea	arching shrub	U	XI
C. glabra	erect shrub	C
C. gloriosa	erect shrub	C
C. lepidocaulis	erect shrub	C	VII,XI
C. magnifica	pendent herb	C	II,IV
C. microcalyx	pendent herb	A	II,XI
C. verecunda	arching shrub	C	II,XI
Drymonia conchocalyx	arching shrub	A	II,XI
D. rubra	arching shrub	A	all year

 
             Grossulariaceae

Phyllonoma tenuidens

erect shrub

U

X,XI

 
           Lentibulariaceae

Utricularia jamesoniana	erect herb	U	IX
U. praetermissa	erect herb	U	VI

 
           Marcgraviaceae

Marcgravia brownei	climbing shrub	C	IX-XI
Norantea costaricensis	hemiepiphyte	U

 
            Melastomataceae

Blakea anomala	erect shrub	A	IV,VIII,XI
B. chlorantha	erect shrub	U
B. gracilis	erect shrub	C
B. grandiflora	erect shrub	C
B. tuberculata	hemiepiphyte	C	XI
Miconia grandidentata	erect shrub	U	IV
Topobea brenesii	hemiepiphyte	C	IV
T. pittieri	hemiepiphyte	U

 
           Moraceae

Ficus crassiuscula**	hemiepiphyte	C
F. tuerckheimii	hemiepiphyte	A
F. velutina	hemiepiphyte	U

 
           Myrsinaceae

Cybianthus costaricanus

erect shrub

A

IV,VII,XI

 
           Orchidaceae

Acostaea costaricensis	clumped herb	A	all year
Ada chlorops	erect herb	C	X,XI
Barbosella geminata	clumped herb	U	I-XII
B. prorepens	clumped herb	C	I-XII
Brachionidium pusillum	climbing herb	U	IV
Campylocentrum longicalcaratum	erect herb	C	V-VII
Cochleanthes discolor	erect herb	U	III-VII
C. picta	erect herb	U	XII-III
Cryptocentrum calcaratum	erect herb	A	I-XII
C. latifolium	erect herb	C	VII-IX
Cyclopogon elatus	erect herb	U	XI
C. prasophyllum	erect herb	U	II
Dichaea brachypoda	pendent herb	C	IV-XII
D. cryptarrhena	pendent herb	A	III-IX
D. lankesteri	pendent herb	U	IV
D. cf. oxyglossa	pendent herb	U	VII
D. trichocarpa	pendent herb	U	IV-VII
Dracula erythrochaete	clumped herb	C	VI
Elleanthus aurantiacus	erect herb	C	IV
E. glaucophyllus	erect herb	A	IV
E. tonduzii	erect herb	U
Encyclia abbreviata	erect herb	C	IV
E. pseudopygmaea	erect herb	A	XI,XII
E. vespa	erect herb	U	V-X
Epidendrum cf. albertii	erect herb	U	VII
E. anoglossum	erect herb	C	III-X
E. coriifolium	erect herb	U
E. firmum	erect herb	A	I-XII
E. lankesteri	arching herb	U	V-VIII
E. laucheanum	arching herb	U	III-X
E. myodes	erect herb	U	XI,VII
E. palmense	erect herb	U	III
E. phragmites	erect herb	U	VII
E. polychlamys	erect herb	U	III-IV
E. ramonianum	erect shrub	A	VII,VIII
E. ramosum	erect herb	C	III,VIII
E. sanchoi	erect herb	U	I-XII
E. selaginella	erect herb	U	VI,VII
E. subnutans	arching herb	A	VII
E. summerhayesii	erect herb	U	VII
Erythrodes killipii	erect herb	U	II,III,VII,VIII
Eurystyles auriculata	erect herb	U	II,XI
Lepanthes acostae	clumped herb	U	VII
L. comet-halleyi	clumped herb	U	VI,VIII
L. confusa	clumped herb	C	XI
L. ferrelliae	clumped herb	C	VII
L. jimenezii	clumped herb	U	VI,VII,X
L. mentosa	clumped herb	C	VI,XI
L. minutilabia	clumped herb	U	IV
L. monteverdense	clumped herb	U	VI
L. pygmaea	clumped herb	C	II, VI
L. ramonensis	clumped herb	U	VI
Lockhartia hercodonta	pendent herb	U	VIII-XI
Lycaste leucantha	erect herb	C	IX
Masdevallia chasei	clumped herb	U	VIII-XII
M. chontalensis	clumped herb	C	I-XII
M. erinacea	clumped herb	U	V-VII
M. molossoides	clumped herb	C	V-VII
M. nidifica	clumped herb	A	I-XII
M. rolfeana	clumped herb	U	IX-XI
M. schizopetala	clumped herb	U	VI-VIII
M. striatella	clumped herb	C	IX-I
Maxillaria angustisegmenta	erect herb	U	X-II
M. angustissima	erect herb	U	VIII-XII
M. biolleyi	erect herb	C	I
M. bracteata	arching herb	C	I-III
M. brunnea	erect herb	C	IX-XII
M. dendrobioides	erect herb	C	X
M. foliosa	erect herb	U	VIII
M. fulgens	erect herb	C	VIII-XII
M. inaudita	erect herb	C	I,II
M. linearifolia	arching herb	C	VII-IX
M. microphyton	erect herb	U	VII
M. minor	pendent herb	C	VII-XII
M. nasuta	erect herb	U	IV-X
M. pachyacron	erect herb	U	X-III
M. parvilabia	erect herb	C	III
M. pseudoneglecta	arching herb	U
M. reichenheimiana	erect herb	U	IV-X
M. sigmoidea	erect herb	C	XI
M. umbratilis	erect herb	U	I,II
M. wrightii	erect herb	U	IX
Myoxanthus sempergemmatus	clumped herb	U	VII
Oerstedella centropetala	erect herb	U	X-II
O. endresii	erect herb	U	II,III
O. exasperata	erect shrub	C	I-XII
Oncidium bracteatum	erect herb	C	IV-XI
O. globuliferum	climbing herb	U	V,VIII
O. heteranthum	erect herb	C	I-XII
O. luteum	erect herb	U	X-XII
Ornithocephalus gladiatus	pendent herb	U	VII
Platystele microtatantha	clumped herb	C	I-XII
Pleurothallis amparoana	clumped herb	C	V,VI
P. bothros	clumped herb	U	II
P. cardiothallis	erect herb	C	IX-XII
P. carpinterae	clumped herb	U	XII
P. casualis	clumped herb	U	II
P. cogniauxiana	clumped herb	A	I-XII
P. costaricensis	clumped herb	C	I-XII
P. crescentilabia	clumped herb	U	I-XII

 

P. crocodiliceps	clumped herb	U	II
P. cuspidata	clumped herb	U	II
P. eumecocaulon	clumped herb	C	XI,II
P. fractiflexa	clumped herb	U	XI
P. gonioglossa	clumped herb	C	VII, IX
P. grandis	clumped herb	U	X
P. homalantha	clumped herb	A	XI-II
P. immersa	clumped herb	U	XI
P. imraei	clumped herb	U	II
P. monteverdensis	clumped herb	U	I
P. palliolata	clumped herb	U	VIII-XI
P. papillifera	clumped herb	U	VI
P. phyllocardia	clumped herb	U	VI
P. pompalis	clumped herb	U	IX
P. powellii	erect herb	U	II,VIII
P. rowleei	clumped herb	A	VII, XII
P. ruscifolia	clumped herb	A	VI-VIII
P. saccata	clumped herb	U	X
P. segoviensis	clumped herb	C	V-VII
P. segregatifolia	clumped herb	C	X-II
P. sicaria	clumped herb	U	III
P. strumosa	clumped herb	U	IV,VI
P. tuerckheimii	clumped herb	U	VIII
Restrepia trichoglossa	clumped herb	C	I-XII
Scaphyglottis amparoana	arching herb	U	XI
S. lindeniana	erect herb	U	XII-II
S. micrantha	erect herb	C	III
S. prolifera	erect herb	C	I-XII
S. sigmoidea	arching herb	U	XII, I
Sobralia amabilis	arching herb	C	VI-I
Stelis microchila	clumped herb	C	II,VII,XI
S. pardipes	clumped herb	C	X
S. parvula	clumped herb	C	VII
S. triangulabia	clumped herb	U	VII
Stellilabium campbellorum	erect herb	U	XI,III
S. monteverdense	erect herb	U	III
Trichosalpinx cedralensis	clumped herb	U	XI
T. memor	clumped herb	U	X
Xylobium elongatum	erect herb	A	IX-XI
X. powellii	erect herb	U	XII

 
            Piperaceae

Peperomia angularis	erect herb	C	VII
P. costaricensis	climbing herb	C	XI
P. hylophila	erect herb	C	VII
P. palmana	erect herb	C	II
P. peltilimba	climbing herb	A	II,VII
P. pittieri	erect herb	U	II
P. poasana	erect herb	C
P. pseudoalpina	erect herb	U
P. rotundifolia	climbing herb	U	IV,XI
P. serpens	climbing herb	A	VII,XI
P. tenella	erect herb	C	IV
P. tenellaeformis	erect herb	U	II
P. ternata	erect herb	C	II,VII
P. tetraphylla	erect herb	C

 
           Rubiaceae

Hillia maxonii	erect shrub	U
H.  triflora	arching shrub	C	II,IV
Psychotria maxonii	erect herb	C	II,VII,XI
P. pithecobia	erect shrub	A	II,IV

 
           Solanaceae

Markea neurantha	climbing shrub	U	II
Schultesianthus megalandrus	erect shrub	U
S. venosus	erect shrub	C	II,VII

 
          PTERIDOPHYTA (genera and species only)

Antrophyum chlorosporum	erect herb	U	IV
A. lineatum	erect herb	C	II,VII,XI
Asplenium cirrhatum	arching herb	C	II
A. cuspidatum	arching herb	C	II
A. dissectum	arching herb	C	II,VII
A. gomezianum	erect herb	U	II
A. pululahuae	arching herb	C	II,XI
A. rosenstockianum	arching herb	U	II
A. rutaceum	arching herb	C	II,VII
A. salicifolium	arching herb	U	XI
Blechnum fragile	climbing herb	A	IV
Campyloneurum angustifolium	erect herb	C	II
C. falcoideum	climbing herb	U	XI
C. sphenodes	climbing herb	A	IV,VII
Ceradenia jungermannioides	clumped herb	U	VII
Cheiroglossa palmata	erect herb	U	VII
Cochlidium rostratum	clumped herb	C	II
C. serrulatum	clumped herb	C	VII
Elaphoglossum ambiguum	erect herb	A	VII
E. atrobarbatum	erect herb	U	II
E. auricomum	erect herb	U	VII
E. auripilum	erect herb	U	IV
E. erinaceum	erect herb	C	VII
E. guatemalense	erect herb	U	VII
E. lanceiforme	erect herb	C	XI
E. latifolium	erect herb	C	IV
E. lingua	erect herb	U	VII
E. pallidum	erect herb	C	VII
E. palmense	erect herb	A	IV,VII
E. peltatum	climbing herb	A	VII
E. sherringii	erect herb	C	II
Huperzia dichaeoides	pendent herb	C	IV,VII
H. filiformis	pendent herb	U	II
Hymenophyllum microcarpum	climbing herb	C	II
H. subrigidum	climbing herb	C	IV
Lellingeria limula	clumped herb	U	VII
Lomariopsis maxonii	climbing herb	U	IV
Micropolypodium taenifolium	clumped herb	U	II,VII
Nephrolepis pendula	pendent herb	U	VII
Niphidium crassifolium	erect herb	C	VII
Oleandra bradei	pendent herb	C	II
Pleopeltis complanata	climbing herb	C	VII
P. fructuosa	climbing herb	C	IV,VII
Polypodium fraxinifolium	arching herb	C	II,VII,XI
P. furfuraceum	erect herb	U	XI
P. myriolepis	climbing herb	C	VII
P. ptilorhizon	climbing herb	A	II,XI
Terpsichore alfarii	climbing herb	U	VII,XI
T. taxifolia	erect herb	U	VII
Trichomanes capillaceum	climbing herb	C	II
T. diaphanum	climbing herb	C	II
T. krausii	climbing herb	C	II
T. ludovicin	climbing herb	U	XI
T. radicans	climbing herb	C	II
Vittaria lineata	pendent herb	C	II

1. Abundance:  A = abundant, C = common, U = uncommon
2. Reproduction:  months (indicated by Roman numerals) in which flowers or fruits were observed (or spores, in the case of ferns)
* [Often begins life as an epiphyte in the elfin forest and as a free-standing tree at lower elevations, see Chapter 3.G.8.]
** [Usually begins life as a vine rooted in ground soil, see Chapter 3.G.8.]