Liana

A liana ( lee-ANN-ə, also -⁠AH-nə) is a long-stemmed woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the canopy in search of direct sunlight. The word liana does not refer to a taxonomic grouping, but rather a habit of plant growth—much like tree or shrub. It comes from standard French liane, itself from an Antilles French dialect word meaning 'to sheave'.

Ecology

Lianas are characteristic of tropical moist broadleaf forests (especially seasonal forests), but may be found in temperate rainforests and temperate deciduous forests. There are also temperate lianas, for example the members of the Clematis or Vitis (wild grape) genera. Lianas can form bridges in the forest canopy, providing arboreal animals—including ants and many other invertebrates, lizards, rodents, sloths, monkeys, and lemurs—with paths through the forest. For example, in the Eastern tropical forests of Madagascar many lemurs achieve higher mobility from the web of lianas draped among the vertical tree species. Many lemurs prefer trees with lianas because of their roots.

Lianas are parasitic; they do not derive nutrients directly from host trees, but live on and indirectly derive nutrients at their expense. Specifically, their growth may greatly reduce their hosts' growth and tree reproduction, greatly increase tree mortality, prevent tree seedlings from establishing, alter the course of regeneration in forests, and ultimately decrease tree population growth rates.