This month's blog is actually a video! Dr Richard Milne introduces us to the relationship between parasites and orchids. We see the sword-leaved helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia) and discuss its food sources and mutations. View media transcript Orchids begin their lives as parasites on fungi. The fungus attempts to invade the seed, but the plant turns the tables and digests the fungus. Many of them, like this sword-leaved helleborine here remain parasites on fungi throughout their lives. It has two sources of food: photosynthesis and the parasitism. We can prove this because over here, we have a mutant. It’s the same species, but a knock-out mutation in the chloroplast has destroyed the ability to create chlorophyll and yet, it’s grown to adulthood and flowered. It can only do this because it has parasitism on fungi fuelling the plant. This article was published on 2025-03-04
