Which one among the following terms is used to describe a plant that grows only in a muntainous environment?

The term used to describe a plant that grows only in a mountainous environment is Orophyte. The prefix 'oro-' is derived from the Greek word 'oros', meaning mountain. In contrast, other options describe different ecological niches or biological classifications. An epiphyte is a plant that grows harmlessly upon another plant, deriving moisture and nutrients from the air and rain rather than the soil [3]. Bryophytes are a group of non-vascular, seedless plants including mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, which typically thrive in moist habitats but are not restricted to mountains [2]. Geophytes are plants with underground storage organs (like bulbs or tubers) that allow them to survive unfavorable conditions. Orophytes are specifically adapted to the high-altitude conditions of mountain biomes, such as lower temperatures and high UV exposure, making them distinct from generalist species found in lowland areas.

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Equatorial Vegetation > p. 426
2. [3] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > 1. Tropical Evergreen Rainforest Biome > p. 7
3. [2] Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 9: Indian Biodiversity Diverse Landscape > 5. Bryophytes \ > p. 157