THE IMPORTANCE OF PTERIDOPHYTES IN THE EPIPHYTIC FLORA OF SOME PHOROPHYTES OF THE CAMEROONIAN SEMI-DECIDUOUS RAIN FOREST

Epiphyte diversity and abundance were surveyed in trees that were felled by a logging operation in the Cameroonian semi-deciduous rain forest to determine the importance of pteridophytes. Six host tree species were surveyed, including 150 individual phorophytes. Triplochiton scleroxylon hosted the greatest number of pteridophytes while Canarium schweinfurthii and Terminalia superba hosted the fewest. Of the 78 epiphytic species recorded, the largest groups were the monocotyledons (51 species) and the pteridophytes (20 species), while the dicotyledons (7 species) were the smallest. Regardless of the host, pteridophytes represented over 25% of the epiphytic flora. More than 5 pteridophytes were always hosted by each of the individual host trees. Within the pteridophytes, Polypodiaceae (8 species) was the most diversified family, followed by Davalliaceae (5 species) and Aspleniaceae (4 species). Factor analysis showed no strict specificity between tree species and pteridophytes.