Epiphyte, also called air plant, any plant that grows upon another plant or object merely for physical support. Epiphytes have no attachment to the ground or other obvious nutrient source and are not parasitic on the supporting plants. 

Epiphytes make up a huge part of the biodiversity in a rainforest. Not only do epiphytes account for a large portion of foliage in rainforest, they also support other plants and organisms. Every epiphyte is a microhabitat, in which there can be a food web of arthropods and other animals. Non-vascular epiphytes such as bryophytes, liverworts, and mosses, can be a home for many arthropods. Young forests will accumulate dense coverings of these epiphytes on the bark and on the branches. In old growth forests, epiphytic mats are formed from years of growth and the accumulation of particles and dead tissue. These mats tend to contain insects including mites, springtails, beetles, ants, moth larvae, thrips, bark lice, wasps, and spiders. The insects thrive while living in the epiphytes in the rain forest canopy, but when they die they help to supply the epiphytes with nutrients and minerals.

Without question, epiphytes are one of the most important plants in the rainforest. They are a major producer of food for many of the organisms of the rain forest, and they are the home of many arthropods. Unfortunately, 100 epiphyte orchids alone go extinct every year due to deforestation and farming (Butler 4/10/2007). Without epiphytes, Neotropical forests would not be able to support the diverse amount of plants and animal life. It is worth the resources to research this important group of plants learn out more about how they can support such a diverse ecosystem.