Orchids belong to a recent, extremely diverse family of plants-the Orchidaceae. Not only will you find these species on the forest floor, but living on other larger plants as epiphytes as well as being attached to rocks, known as a lithophytic lifestyle. Today, orchids encompass nearly 10% of all the plants on Earth! This expansive and unique group of organisms are notorious for their patchy distribution. Many orchids I find, (yes there are native orchids in western New York) are accompanied by other individuals nearby. For some time now, we have linked this patchiness to the orchids specific mycorrhizal fungus. Without particular mycorrhizal fungi living in the soil, orchid seeds will not germinate. These plants are quite temperamental, having evolved some of the most obligatory relationships with orchid mycorrhizal fungi, hereafter OMF.

OMF promote seed germination, and nourish the plant during the seedling stage without receiving a sugar reward. Before an orchid produces its first leaves, the orchid protocorm exclusively depends on its fungal symbiote to supply it with everything it needs to survive. All orchids initially go through a mycoheterotrophic stage in which the plant receives carbon and mineral nutrients solely from the fungus. This can last a month, or this stage may persist for years. Orchids and their mycorrhizae have a truly fascinating evolutionary relationship, that boggles the mind of even experts in the field.