An Orchid, Not a Tree Parasite
The trunk is support. Dendrobium officinale can cling to a tree without parasitizing it, a distinction that overturns the easy assumption that anything growing on bark must be stealing from beneath it. Attachment is not theft. This orchid practices epiphytism: its roots occupy an exposed perch, collecting water and nutrients delivered by rain and accumulated organic matter rather than extracting t...More
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