Epipogium aphyllum
Encyclopedia
The Ghost Orchid - not to be confused with the American Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii) - is a myco-heterotrophic
orchid lacking chlorophyll
.
It is famous for its unpredictable appearance; in many localities it has been seen just once.
It is found in beech, oak, pine and spruce forests on base-rich soils.
Myco-heterotrophy
Myco-heterotrophy is a symbiotic relationship between certain kinds of plants and fungi, in which the plant gets all or part of its food from parasitism upon fungi rather than from photosynthesis. A myco-heterotroph is the parasitic plant partner in this relationship...
orchid lacking chlorophyll
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in almost all plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek words χλωρος, chloros and φύλλον, phyllon . Chlorophyll is an extremely important biomolecule, critical in photosynthesis, which allows plants to obtain energy from light...
.
It is famous for its unpredictable appearance; in many localities it has been seen just once.
It is found in beech, oak, pine and spruce forests on base-rich soils.
