Natural History Wanderings

ScienceDaily reported

Kobe University researchers found that orchids rely on wood-decaying fungi to germinate, feeding on the carbon from rotting logs. Their seedlings only grow near deadwood, forming precise fungal partnerships that mirror those seen in adult orchids with coral-like roots. This discovery highlights a hidden carbon pathway in forest ecosystems and explains the evolution of fully fungus-dependent orchid species.

Source: Scientists discover orchids sprouting from decaying wood | ScienceDaily