Foliicolous lichens growing on a leaf on the Amazon jungle near Tena, Ecuador
Foliicolous refers to the growth habit of certain lichens, algae, fungi, liverworts, and other bryophytes that prefer to grow on the leaves of vascular plants.[1][2][3]Foliicolous simply means 'growing upon leaves'[4] whilst epiphyllous derives from the Greek epi-[5] meaning on or over and phyllous means leaf[6] so 'over leaf' and hypophyllous means 'under leaf'.[7] The microhabitat on the leaf surface is called a phyllosphere.[2][3]
