Abstract: | Several parameters related to the water relations of eight woodyhemiepiphytes with different photosynthetic pathways were studiedin situ and in the laboratory on Barro Colorado Island, Panama.As a group, woody hemiepiphytes tended to have less conductivestems per unit leaf area (lower kL) and invested less wood cross-sectionper unit leaf area compared to free-standing trees, while theirspecific conductivity (Ks) was significantly higher. Among hemiepiphytes,there were significant differences between C3 and CAM (CrassulaceanAcid Metabolism) species in respect to leaf characteristics,transpiration rates, diel patterns of water flow through aerialroots, and in hydraulic architecture parameters. Average transpirationrates of the two Clusia species (C3-CAM) were lower by aboutan order of magnitude compared to the C3 species. In all C3species, sap flow through aerial roots (F) closely followedtranspiration (E), whereas E and F were decoupled in time inthe C3-CAM species Clusia uvitana: considerable long-distancewater flow occurred at night. The hydraulic efficiency of theother C3-CAM species, C. minor was the lowest of the five speciesinvestigated. Key words: Hemiepiphytes, water relations, hydraulic architecture, aerial roots, CAM |