Independent recruitment of saprotrophic fungi as mycorrhizal partners by tropical achlorophyllous orchids

Mycoheterotrophic orchids have adapted to shaded forest understory by shifting to achlorophylly and receiving carbon from their mycorrhizal fungi. In temperate forests, they associate in a highly specific way with fungi forming ectomycorrhizas on nearby trees, and exploiting tree photosynthates. How... View More