epiphytic
Epiphytic roots enable a plant to grow on another plant. For example, the epiphytic roots of orchids develop a spongy tissue to absorb moisture. The banyan tree Ficus sp. begins as an epiphyte, germinating in the branches of a host tree; aerial roots develop from the branches and eventually reach the ground, providing additional support Figure 30.20 . In screwpine Pandanus sp. , a palm-like tree that grows in sandy tropical soils, aboveground prop roots develop from the nodes to provide additional support.