Yes saprophytes are now called mycoheterotrophs and not saprophytes any more. No plants are saprophytes anymore. ts not that they are commonly called as mycoheteroptrophs.
Saprophytes by definition means those plants which grow on dead and decaying organisms. But experiments revealed that actually the plants are parasitic on fungi that might be living ind ead and decaying organisms. They can either be holo-mycoheterotrophs or partial mycoheteroptrops. Holo is completely dependent on the fungus and partial mycoheteroptrops are not completely dependent. Do they have association with particular fungus. Yes they have association with species from particular group of fungus. Fungi is classified into Fungus can be of two groups, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomeromycota) or Ectomycorrhizas (Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Zygomycota). If you are talking about the plants which makes association with fungus. Then the fungus can be highly specific for a particular species of plant. For orchids, they are highly specific. For fungal classification, may be one of our members, Tanay can explain better. Pankaj On Sun, Dec 18, 2011 at 10:20 PM, ankush prakash <[email protected]> wrote: > Now all the saprophytic plants are commonly classified as mycoheterothophic > plants...Does all the saprophytic plants have an association with a > particular fungus??? > All the members please clear my doubt. > > Regards, > Ankush Prakash. -- ********************************************************************** "Taxonomists getting Extinct and Species Data Deficient !!" Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) Conservation Officer Office: Flora Conservation Department Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) Corporation Lam Kam Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. Residence: 36c, Ng Tung Chai, Lam Tseun Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. email: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Phone: +852 2483 7128 (office - 8:30am to 5:30pm) +852 9436 6251 (mobile)
