This dataset was used in the analyses for the accompanying manuscript "Vascular epiphytes contribute disproportionately to global centres of plant diversity" in Global Biogeography and Ecology GEB-2021-0338. It includes all epiphyte species distributions, environnmental data, and the following meta information: Header Description link_ID botanical country ID kingdom_WWF biogeographic realm family plant family species_full plant species name geo_entity name of botanical country confidence_GIFT/WCSP confidence of checklist; 1 = complete or near complete checklist, 0 = incomplete checklist confidence_Hassler confidence of checklist; 1 = complete or near complete checklist, 0 = incomplete checklist biome dominant biome of botanical country longitude longitude latitude latitude lat_absolute absolute latitude (°) hemisphere hemisphere area area (km2) TF_Miocene extent of tropical forest biomes during the Miocene climate optimum (km2) TF_current extent of tropical forest biomes (km2) TF_LGM extent of tropical forest biomes during the Last Glacial Maximum (km2) prec mean annual precipitation (mm) PrecSeas precipitation seasonality (coefficient of variation in precipitation) temp_mean mean daily minimum temperature (°C) ElevRange elevational range (m) LGM_ice Last Glacial Maximum ice cover (km2) vascular_total total number of vascular plants ferns_total total number of pteridophytes seeds_total total number of seed plants