Plantwatch: An extraordinary orchid that lives and flowers underground

An extraordinary orchid, Rhizanthella gardneri, lives its entire life underground, flowering without leaves and surviving by feeding on nutrients from a fungus. This fungus, in turn, obtains its food from the soil and connects to the roots of the broom bush, Melaleuca uncinata. First discovered in Western Australia in 1928, the orchid remains exceptionally difficult to locate, typically found by searching specific habitats and carefully excavating the soil to reveal its buried reddish blooms. These flowers, wrapped in creamy-pink bracts, emit a vanilla scent and are thought to be pollinated by termites or small flies. There are five species of Rhizanthella, all considered among the rarest in the world. With very few plants surviving, they face a high risk of extinction due to habitat loss and drought, exacerbated by climate ... download the app to read more