In fact, the crystal orchid is not an orchid, but a saprophyte, belonging to Pyrola of Ericaceae.
The picture below shows the crystal orchid. Is it like the plants in the game Plants vs Zombies?
Look carefully, it does look like an orchid. Because it is white all over, it can emit attractive white light in the dark, as crystal clear as crystal, so it is named Crystal Orchid.
The picture below shows orchids:
As a saprophyte, the crystal orchid does not need chlorophyll, so it has no green leaves and the whole plant is pure white. Crystal orchids grow straight up, up to 30 cm. Crystal orchids usually bloom from August to September, with slightly drooping flowers and a cylindrical bell-shaped corolla, which is very beautiful in appearance.
Crystal orchids are distributed in China, Japan, South Asia and North America, but the number is relatively rare, belonging to rare plants.
Although orchids are beautiful and common, it is not so easy to see crystal orchids.
Because it is extremely difficult to cultivate the crystal orchid artificially, it can only be seen in the deep mountains and wild forests.
Crystal orchid not only has tiny seeds, almost no nutrients, but also no chlorophyll, so it can't carry out photosynthesis. They can only survive by special bacteria saprophy. Unless they can simulate the living environment of crystal orchids, they can't be cultivated artificially like ordinary green plants.
When transplanting the crystal orchid, you must shovel the flowers and soil together, so as not to hurt its roots during the operation. Choose breathable fertile soil for planting, and pay attention to keep it dark and wet. Try not to change pots and touch them less, because they are really weak.
But because it is precious and difficult to grow, it is better to put it in the wild instead of transplanting it.
Crystal orchids generally grow in the mountains at an altitude of 800 ~ 3850 meters, only suitable for growing in dark, humid and humus-rich places, and rely on absorbing nutrients from rotten leaves for a living, so it is also called? Flower of the underworld? An equal. In some novels, it is also described as poisonous, but it is not poisonous.
Speaking of saprophytes, Gastrodia elata and it belong to saprophytes. In nature, in addition to a few plants, mushrooms, auricularia, molds and other fungi also belong to saprophytic bacteria.
Gastrodia elata (see the picture below) is the most typical saprophyte. Like crystal orchid, it has no chlorophyll and depends on Armillaria mellea.
Armillaria mellea is a fungus, and the root of the crystal orchid is also covered with hyphae of a fungus, which have invaded the root tissue of the crystal orchid and replaced the role of root hair. Living with it, the nutrition of the crystal orchid depends on it. This is also one of the reasons why artificial cultivation of crystal orchid is not easy.
What does mycelium look like? The picture below shows the mycelium of mold under the microscope.
For more exciting content, please pay attention to the scientific exploration bacteria.