UPSC Civil Services Model Paper 1

● An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant without harming it.
◦ It derives its nutrients from the air, rain, or from the debris accumulating around it.
◦ Mosses and orchids are the best examples of Epiphytes.
● Plants that grow in or on rocks are called lithophytes .
◦ Lithophytes derive their nutrients from rainwater and nearby decaying plants, including their own dead tissue.
● Plants that grow in waters of high salinity are called halophytes , not epiphytes. Hence statement 2 is incorrect .
◦ Mangrove swamps and sea lavender are examples of halophytes.
● Aquatic plants that grow in or near water are called macrophytes.
◦ Hydrilla, Water Hyacinth, and Duckweed are the few examples of Macrophytes.