Epipogium aphyllum Sw.
(Ghost Orchid)

Interactions where Epipogium aphyllum is the dominant partner and gains from the process

The following relationships have been collated from the published literature (see 'Interaction References').

Stage Summary Taxon Vernacular Classification References Darwin Classification of Active Taxon Active Taxon Active Vernacular Active Taxon Uncertain Active State Active Part Active Stage Relationship Relationship Uncertain Relationship Geography Darwin Classification of Passive Taxon Passive Taxon Passive Vernacular Passive Taxon Uncertain Passive State Passive Part Passive Stage Passive Taxon's significance to Active Taxon Indoors etc Season
(live) live root parasitises mycorrhiza ForeignMinor Hebeloma poisonpie toadstools Agaricales: Cortinariaceae Ectomycorrhizal Inocybe species associate with the mycoheterotrophic orchid Epipogium aphyllum but not its asexual propagules, Roy, M. et al, 2009
/Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Asparagales/Orchidaceae/Epipogium aphyllum/Epipogium aphyllumghost orchidliveroot Fungus / parasiteForeign /Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Agaricales/Cortinariaceae/Hebeloma/Hebelomapoisonpie toadstoolsmycorrhizaMinor
(live) live root parasitises mycorrhiza ForeignMajor Inocybe fibrecap toadstools Agaricales: Inocybaceae Ectomycorrhizal Inocybe species associate with the mycoheterotrophic orchid Epipogium aphyllum but not its asexual propagules, Roy, M. et al, 2009
/Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Asparagales/Orchidaceae/Epipogium aphyllum/Epipogium aphyllumghost orchidliveroot Fungus / parasiteForeign /Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Agaricales/Inocybaceae/Inocybe/Inocybefibrecap toadstoolsmycorrhizaMajor
(live) live root parasitises mycorrhiza ForeignMinor Xerocomus a genus of boletes Boletales: Boletaceae Ectomycorrhizal Inocybe species associate with the mycoheterotrophic orchid Epipogium aphyllum but not its asexual propagules, Roy, M. et al, 2009
/Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Asparagales/Orchidaceae/Epipogium aphyllum/Epipogium aphyllumghost orchidliveroot Fungus / parasiteForeign /Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Boletales/Boletaceae/Xerocomus/Xerocomusa genus of boletesmycorrhizaMinor
(live) live root parasitises mycorrhiza ForeignMinor Lactarius milkcap toadstools Russulales: Russulaceae Ectomycorrhizal Inocybe species associate with the mycoheterotrophic orchid Epipogium aphyllum but not its asexual propagules, Roy, M. et al, 2009
/Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Asparagales/Orchidaceae/Epipogium aphyllum/Epipogium aphyllumghost orchidliveroot Fungus / parasiteForeign /Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Russulales/Russulaceae/Lactarius/Lactariusmilkcap toadstoolsmycorrhizaMinor
(live) live root parasitises mycorrhiza ForeignMinor Thelephora earthfans Thelephorales: Thelephoraceae Ectomycorrhizal Inocybe species associate with the mycoheterotrophic orchid Epipogium aphyllum but not its asexual propagules, Roy, M. et al, 2009
/Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Asparagales/Orchidaceae/Epipogium aphyllum/Epipogium aphyllumghost orchidliveroot Fungus / parasiteForeign /Fungi/Basidiomycota/Agaricomycetes/Thelephorales/Thelephoraceae/Thelephora/ThelephoraearthfansmycorrhizaMinor

Interactions where Epipogium aphyllum is the victim or passive partner (and generally loses out from the process)

The following relationships have been collated from the published literature (see 'Interaction References').

Filters:

Affected Part Summary Taxon Vernacular Classification References Darwin Classification of Active Taxon Active Taxon Active Vernacular Active Taxon Uncertain Active State Active Part Active Stage Relationship Relationship Uncertain Relationship Geography Darwin Classification of Passive Taxon Passive Taxon Passive Vernacular Passive Taxon Uncertain Passive State Passive Part Passive Stage Passive Taxon's significance to Active Taxon Indoors etc Season Summary
flower (live) live flower is pollinated or fertilised by adult Questionable Bombus bumble bees or humble bees & cuckoo bees Hymenoptera: Apidae Orchids of Britain & Ireland: a field and site guide, Harrap, A. & S., 2009
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Hymenoptera/Apidae/Bombus/Bombusbumble bees or humble bees & cuckoo beesadult Plant / pollinated /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Asparagales/Orchidaceae/Epipogium aphyllum/Epipogium aphyllumghost orchid?liveflower adult pollinates or fertilises live flower
flower (live) live flower is pollinated or fertilised by adult Questionable Vespula a genus of social wasps Hymenoptera: Vespidae Orchids of Britain & Ireland: a field and site guide, Harrap, A. & S., 2009
/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Hymenoptera/Vespidae/Vespula/Vespulaa genus of social waspsadult Plant / pollinated /Plantae/Tracheophyta/Magnoliopsida/Asparagales/Orchidaceae/Epipogium aphyllum/Epipogium aphyllumghost orchid?liveflower adult pollinates or fertilises live flower

Author & YearTitleSource
Harrap, A. & S., 2009Orchids of Britain & Ireland: a field and site guide2nd edition, 480pp, A&C Black Publishers Ltd
Roy, M. et al, 2009Ectomycorrhizal Inocybe species associate with the mycoheterotrophic orchid Epipogium aphyllum but not its asexual propagulesAnn Bot 104: 595-610.

Epipogium aphyllum (Ghost Orchid) may also be included in 'fed on by' relations listed under the following higher taxa:

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesEpipogium aphyllum (Ghost Orchid)
FamilyORCHIDACEAE (orchids)
OrderASPARAGALES (orchids, daffodils, onions & irises)
ClassMAGNOLIOPSIDA (flowering plants)
PhylumTRACHEOPHYTA (vascular plants)
KingdomPLANTAE (plants)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Epipogium aphyllum (Ghost Orchid)

Identification Works

Handling & MagnificationAuthorYearTitleSource
Garner, P. 2010 Haunted Herefordshire: the "Ghost" reappears in Britain after an absence of 23 years BSBI News No. 113: 7, front and inside front cover.

Epipogium aphyllum (Ghost Orchid) may also be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

General Works

AuthorYearTitleSource
Bateman, R. 2010 The Ghost Orchid vividly illustrates why the term "extirpation" is an essential element of plant conservation. BSBI News No. 113: 8-10.
Leake, J.R. 2005 Plants parasitic on fungi: unearthing the fungi in myco-heterotrophs and debunking the "saprophytic" plant myth Mycologist Vol 19 (3): 113-122.

Mycorrhiza

Roy, M. et al 2009 Ectomycorrhizal Inocybe species associate with the mycoheterotrophic orchid Epipogium aphyllum but not its asexual propagules Ann Bot 104: 595-610.

Literature listed under the following higher taxa may also be relevant to Epipogium aphyllum (Ghost Orchid):

RDB

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