Secondary hemi-epiphytes start their life as ground-dwelling plants. Like other vines, the plant then climbs the host, but when the plant reaches maturity, the oldest portion of the stem dies. The plant then loses its stem connection to the soil and becomes semi-epiphytic. However, true secondary hemiepiphytism is probably not as common as thought, since, in most cases semiepiphytic vines reconnect to the soil through aerial roots. The change in soil connection during the ontogeny of these species may have physiological and anatomical consequences. As they eventually live in the canopy environment, it is feasible that secondary hemi-epiphytes might develop adaptations to cope with the stressful canopy environment, especially water stress during dry periods. However, there is a lack of understanding on the ecophysiology of secondary hemiepiphytes in rainforests.
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