CSIRO Science Image

Natural hybridisation among orchids is an intriguing phenomenon that has only rarely been documented, but has interesting implications for the evolution of the family, the richest one in the plant kingdom. For example, orchids require symbiotic interactions with both pollinators and mycorrhizal fungi to complete their life cycle.

One question under investigation is whether hybrids form interactions with symbiotic fungi that are the same or different from parental species.

Photographer : Carl Davies

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