To be honest, I'm a bit at a loss as to how to discuss the leaves of Cephalanthera austiniae, seeing as that it… doesn't actually have them.
Photo by: Nature Blog Network
Not a single leaf to be seen here.
While some interesting leaf-like bracts can often be seen along the lower stem, these are simply structures that emerge from where the stem is sheathing.
So instead, I will be discussing how it manages to function without them. With a complete lack of chlorophyll, there's no photosynthesis going on in this plant. And as you can imagine for a leafless plant, it typically grows in the shade, with no need to catch sunlight. So how exactly does it obtain energy?
The Phantom Orchid is one of the few plants which fall under the special category of achlorophyllous mycotrophic angiosperms, a category shared by Indian pipe and Pine drops. This lengthy term translates to "flowing plants without chlorophyll that utilize fungi in their nutrition". In fact, the flowering stem that you see in the above image is only a small component of the full organism. Most of the plant lurks underground, where it leeches nutrients and energy from black thelephoroid fungi.
The Phantom Orchid is one of the few plants which fall under the special category of achlorophyllous mycotrophic angiosperms, a category shared by Indian pipe and Pine drops. This lengthy term translates to "flowing plants without chlorophyll that utilize fungi in their nutrition". In fact, the flowering stem that you see in the above image is only a small component of the full organism. Most of the plant lurks underground, where it leeches nutrients and energy from black thelephoroid fungi.
Photo by: UC Berkeley
This fungus is only found in the presence of certain species of old-growth or mature trees, as it relies on a symbiotic relationship with them. These particular tree species are currently unknown. From this information, we can conclude that the full relationship of the Phantom Orchid can be described as an unusual orchid-fungi-tree partnership. Considering this requirement for survival and the decline of old-growth forests, it's little wonder why Cephalanthera austiniae is an endangered species.
