Leaf demography of the rainforest shrub Wilkiea macrophylla and its implications for the ecology of foliicolous lichens

A population of leaves of the rainforest shrub Wilkiea macrophylla was studied for a period of 3 years. Survival curves for three subsamples were constructed. The estimated proportion of leaves initiated during the study that survived for the length of the study period (1150 days) was 79.7% and, by extrapolating in time, their mean half life was estimated to be 6.8 years. Those leaves present at the inception of the programmes but without lichen cover at that time, showed 80.1% survival over the subsequent 1150 days, whereas only 55.2% of those with lichen cover survived for 1150 days. Leaf growth and fall was concentrated in the period September‐December, suggesting cool temperate affinities. Leaves of W. macrophylla are so long‐lived that it cannot be assumed that foliicolous lichens are ruderals: only comparative studies will establish their nature.