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The world’s highest vascular epiphytes found in the Peruvian Andes

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Abstract

The highest elevation epiphytic vascular plant flora ever recorded on a worldwide basis is described from the Cordillera Vilcabamba, southern Peruvian Andes. Three species of fern (Melpomene, Polypodium: Polypodiaceae) were recorded from Polylepis pepei forests at elevations above 4,250 m, with Melpomene peruviana reaching almost 4,550 m. A new high-elevation world record for arboreal hemiparasites is also documented, with Tristerix longebracteatus (Loranthaceae) being found at c.4,620 m. Climatic conditions of these sites were assessed and are discussed in the light of existing hypotheses on the abiotic conditions limiting epiphytism.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by The Leverhulme Trust, UK, with a studentship grant to the first author. Dr. Marcus Lehnert is gratefully acknowledged for identifying the Melpomene specimens. The LPB herbarium and staff are thanked for the help given whilst identifying specimens. Thanks also go out to the Peruvian NGO, ECOAN-Peru, and Washington Galiano (CUZ) whom provided logistical support during fieldwork. METI and NASA are thanked for providing the ASTER digital elevation map.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland

    Steven P. Sylvester, Mitsy D. P. V. Sylvester & Michael Kessler

  2. Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco, Avenida La Cultura, Cuzco, Peru

    Mitsy D. P. V. Sylvester

Authors
  1. Steven P. Sylvester
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  2. Mitsy D. P. V. Sylvester
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  3. Michael Kessler
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Correspondence to Steven P. Sylvester.

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35_2014_130_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Photographs showing the positions of sites, where the highest vascular epiphytes were encountered, and live specimen photographs of Melpomene peruviana, the highest elevation vascular epiphyte, and Tristerix longebracteatus, the world’s highest arboreal hemiparasite. (PDF 644 kb)

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Sylvester, S.P., Sylvester, M.D.P.V. & Kessler, M. The world’s highest vascular epiphytes found in the Peruvian Andes. Alp Botany 124, 179–185 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00035-014-0130-2

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