Question

What is the difference between a parasitic angiosperm and an epiphytic angiosperm?

Answer 1

Differences between parasitic angiosperms and epiphytic angiosperms -

Parasitic angiosperms	Epiphytic angiosperms
Parasitic angiosperms are those angiosperms which collect water and nutrients from their host plants. Parasitic angiosperms also attach themselves with the host plants for mechanical support. Here the host plants are harmed due to drainage of nutrients. On the other hand, parasitic plants remain beneficial. Parasitic angiosperms possess a very little amount of chlorophyll which is not enough to make their own food materials in sufficient amounts.	Epiphytic angiosperms grow on their host plants for anchorage only. They don't steal food materials from their hosts. As a result, the host plants remain unaffected. Epiphytic angiosperms always possess chlorophyll to prepare their own food materials in sufficient amounts.
They produce a special type of root, called a haustorium. Haustorium penetrates the host and sucks water from xylem vessels and food materials from the phloem tissue.	They possess a special type of root, called clinging root. Epiphytes hold themselves on the surface of their hosts tightly by means of clinging roots.
Example - Cuscuta sp. (dodder), Viscum album (mistletoe), etc.	Example - Vanda tesselata, Dendrobium sp., etc.