There are also temperate lianas, for example the members of the clematis or vitis (wild grape) genera. How useful is this definition? They are a conspicuous component of tropical forest ecosystems and represent one of the most important structural differences between tropical and temperate forests.
Liana | Climbing Vines, Rainforest & Woody Vines | Britannica
The meaning of liana is any of various usually woody vines especially of tropical rainforests that root in the ground.
Some tropical forests would be particularly at risk today when faced with the colonization of lianas, the long climbing plants that suffocate trees and prevent their growth
This phenomenon is favored by climate change and the resulting rise in temperatures that comes with a reduction in rainfall. Lianas are woody vines that have roots in the soil but reach for light by growing on, over, and around a tree, snag, or other trellis. Although a liana may simultaneously utilize several of these climbing mechanisms, it is normally possible to recognize the prevalent climbing mode
