The Stepping Stone to Success!

Epiphytes, also called "air plants", are plants that grow on top of other plants, such as on tree bark. Most orchids are included in this category. One of the first orchid genera described, Epidendrum, literally translates as "on top of trees.") Having the ability to not grow in dirt gives orchids access to places with little competition, and/or to elevates them closer to the light.

It's one of the reasons for orchids' success! Epiphytic orchids have a number of special adaptations to their roots to help them cling to trees and gather moisture from the air. These plants complete part or all of their life cycle anchored or perched on another plant or structure rather than rooted in the soil.

They obtain water and nutrients from dew, air moisture, rainwater and collected plant debris via adventitious (growing from the stem or leaf) and aerial roots. Epiphytes include many lichens and mosses, as well as 10% of all seed plants and ferns and over half the orchid species. Though they are not parasitic, they still need a “stepping stone” like another plant to be successful!

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“Mummy, please pack an extra box of the tasty muffins you made”, said Kaira as she hurriedly dressed for school.

“An extra box of muffins? Are you really going to eat the whole lot?” asked Kaira’s astonished mother.

“Well, you see Mummy, it’s for Ayesha”, said Kaira. “I told her about your muffins, and she was so impressed! She wanted to taste them so badly.”

“Ayesha seems to be your new best friend”, smiled Kaira’s mother. “You’ve only known her for three days! What’s so special about her?”

“Oh Mummy, I am so lucky to be her friend! She is so cute, pretty and gentle, you just can’t help liking her! All the other girls are so jealous of me, because she’s my friend!”

“Well, if she really is all that nice, why isn’t she being friends with everyone instead of just you?” asked Mother.

Kaira was confounded by this question. How could Mummy ask such doubts about Ayesha? Wasn’t she the sweetest angel on earth?

“Mummy, how can she be friends with everyone? She is so wonderful that she deserves only the best of people as friends. Which is why I am her friend”, said Kaira finally.

“As long as you’re happy about it”, sighed Mummy and gave a quick kiss to Kaira along with the tiffin box.

Kaira rushed out to board the school bus, waving and calling out good bye to her mother.

On the way to school, Kaira could only think about Ayesha. How pretty Ayesha looked! With her wavy brown hair that was put up in two perfect ponytails, green eyes and flawless skin, coupled with a smile that charmed everyone, Ayesha had entranced the whole class on the very first day. She was a transfer student, and the teacher seated her next to Kaira as she was the class topper.

“Ayesha has missed the first few months of this academic year. Do help her out with her studies”, the class teacher had instructed Kaira.

Help her out? Why ever not? Kaira was equally taken in as everyone else with Ayesha’s beauty and sweet manners. She said ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ like a proper lady, not like a schoolgirl.

She was elegance personified, and even though she wore the same plain uniform that everyone else wore, she managed to look different and a notch above the rest. Kaira happily gave her all her notes and record books, so that Ayesha could catch up on the work done.

Even the teachers were impressed with the pretty new girl who had joined Class VII A. They discussed among themselves in the staffroom, how respectful and polite she was, and tried to make her feel more at home in the class.

Every teacher gave special attention to her progress, and asked her if she understood everything that was being taught.

Kaira, who had been the best student in the class, and had hogged all the limelight till then, didn’t mind at all. But there was one person who did mind the turn of events: Kaira’s old friend, Nadiya.

Ever since Ayesha started sitting next to Kaira in class, Kaira stopped having lunch with Nadiya and playing games with her, and instead spent all her time with Ayesha. Nadiya felt hurt, but didn’t say a word. When some of the other girls noticed the change in Kaira, they confronted her about ignoring Nadiya.

But Kaira was indignant. “How can Nadiya think that way? Of course, she is still my friend! But can’t you see Ayesha needs my help?

And Ayesha is so sweet, how can I help being friends with her?” Ayesha shed a few tears after hearing the argument, and in the end, everyone felt guilty, and Kaira complained to the class teacher that a few girls had made Ayesha cry.

The teacher gave a lecture to the girls about how they needed to learn to be kind and accommodating with newcomers.

When Kaira reached school, she almost ran to find to find Ayesha. Ayesha was sitting in the classroom quietly as usual, in her prim and proper manner, while the rest of them were playing boisterously down in the grounds, trying to get a few minutes of play in before the bell could ring.

Kaira gave her the muffins, and was gratified to receive the sweet smile that Ayesha gave in return. “These are just wonderful”, said Ayesha, carefully wiping her mouth after the meal. “Please do tell your mother that I loved them.”

“I sure will”, said Kaira.

“Kaira, could you please help me? I… I couldn’t complete my mathematics homework, it was so difficult, you see… and I am so scared of Lakshmi Miss, she might scold me for not completing it”, Ayesha said, her eyes welling up with tears.

“Of course, why not? Here, complete it!” Kaira immediately passed on her Maths homework to Ayesha, who promptly copied down everything.

When Ayesha gave in her homework, Lakshmi Miss commended her for being such a hard working student, who despite being new to the lessons, had managed to complete her work.

This went on for every subject, everyday. Ayesha answered questions in the class after asking Kaira, and Ayesha was the new star of the school in no time.

At first Kaira didn’t notice it, but slowly she realized how the teachers no longer acknowledged her work. Ayesha always got the words of appreciation and encouragement. This made Kaira more and more gloomy, till the day of the test.

The previous week, Kaira had been unable to come to school. She called Ayesha to ask about the test syllabus, and Ayesha sweetly replied that nothing Kaira missed would be asked in the exam. Kaira came to school confidently, but got the shock of her life when she saw the paper.

She tried hard not to burst into tears as for the first time in her life, she handed in a bad paper to the teacher. She was sure she would fail. She glanced at Ayesha. She was writing confidently, and was all smiles as she handed in her paper.

The exam was followed by a visit to the Botanical Garden, where Kaira kept herself at a safe distance from Ayesha. She was crying inside but refused to show her tears.

She glanced at the beautiful orchid that the guide was pointing too. “Many orchids are epiphytes”, the guide was saying.

“They aren’t the same as parasites, but they grow on top of other plants, without which they would never be able to survive on their own, since they can’t grow in the soil. Growing on other plants places them closer to the light!”

Something about his words struck Kaira. That evening, she ran crying into her mother’s arms. “Mom, you were right all along. Ayesha is an epiphyte!”

“A what?” asked a shocked mother, who started smiling when she heard the whole story. “All is not lost yet. Nadiya is waiting here for you.

She saw your unshed tears today and came to comfort you— see who your true friend is?”