Dear Orchid Addicts... The answer HAS to be an unequivocal YES! Paul J Johnson states that..."A parasite is a living organism that takes nutrients from another living organism and generally permits the host to survive, often through multiple generations of the parasite." Well.... look what they (the seductive, enigmatic, mysterious, mesmerizing Orchids) have accomplished. They have convinced homo sapiens to rescue them from their plight of near-extinction, feed them, care for them, and even propagate them. By Paul's definition, they are. They take nutrients from us, their hosts, and, yes, they allow us to survive, allbeitly, much the poorer after we acquire them and design, build and maintain their artificial habitats. And due to our industriousness, we manage to see several generations of our youngsters by the time our fascination wears thin. Known as one of the most complex of the plant kingdom, I'd say, parasites or not, they have done pretty well for themselves.
Barbara
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