Phytotelma (pluralphytotelmata) is a small water-filled cavity in a terrestrial plant. The water accumulated within these plants may serve as the habitat for associatedfauna andflora.

A rich literature in German summarised by Thienemann (1954)^[1] developed many aspects of phytotelm biology. Reviews of the subject by Kitching (1971) and Maguire (1971)^[2][3] introduced the concept of phytotelmata to English-speaking readers. A multi-authored book edited by Frank and Lounibos (1983)^[4] dealt in 11 chapters with classification of phytotelmata, and with phytotelmata provided by bamboo internodes, banana leaf axils,bromeliadleaf axils,Nepenthes pitchers,Sarracenia pitchers,tree holes, andHeliconia flowerbracts and leaf rolls.^[5][6]

A classification of phytotelmata by Kitching (2000)^[7] recognizes five principal types: bromeliad tanks, certaincarnivorous plants such aspitcher plants, water-filledtree hollows,bamboo internodes, and axil water (collected at the base of leaves, petals orbracts); it concentrated on food webs. A review by Greeney (2001)^[8] identified seven forms: tree holes, leafaxils, flowers, modified leaves, fallen vegetative parts (e.g. leaves or bracts), fallen fruithusks, andstem rots.

The word "phytotelma" derives from theancient Greek rootsphyto-, meaning 'plant', andtelma, meaning 'pond'. Thus, the correctsingular isphytotelma.

The term was coined by L. Varga in 1928.^[9]

The correct pronunciation is "phytotēlma" and "phytotēlmata" because of the Greek origin (the stressed vowels are here written asē).

Often the faunae associated with phytotelmata are unique: Different groups of microcrustaceans occur in phytotelmata, includingostracods (Elpidium spp.Metacypris bromeliarum),harpacticoid copepods (Bryocamptus spp,Moraria arboricola,Attheyella spp.^[10]) andcyclopoid copepods (Bryocyclops spp.,Tropocyclopsjamaicensis^[11]).^[12]

In tropical and subtropical rainforest habitats, many species of frogs specialize on phytotelma as a readily available breeding ground, such as somemicrohylids^[13] (in pitcher plants),poison dart frogs^[14] and sometree frogs (in bromeliads).^[15][16]

Many insects use them for breeding and foraging, for instanceodonates,water bugs,beetles anddipterans.^[17][18] Some species also are of great practical significance; for example, immature stages of somemosquitoes, such as someAnopheles andAedes species that are important disease vectors, develop in phytotelmata.^[4]

As these are such small systems, there may be great risk of nitrogenous waste eventually putrefying phytotelmata, killing their inhabitants. Potentially relevant is that tadpoles of the speciesKurixalus eiffingeri have been found to avoiddefecation until aftermetamorphosis, when they have vacated phytotelmata. This may evidenceselection for social sanitation, and the discoverers surmise this may be a selective pressure for other denizens of phytotelmata as well.^[19]

• Nepenthes infauna
• Bromeliaceae

• [1] Bromeliad Biota
• [2] Heliconia Biota
• [3] Video footage of a beech tree-hole

• Ecology
• Plant anatomy

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata