Orchids of Northwest indiana
There are over forty three different taxa of orchids in Indiana with many taking residency in Northwest Indiana's landscape. All but one (Epipactis helleborine) are native to our ecosystems. Some orchids were once thought to be saprophytic meaning that they get their nutrients directly from breaking down dead organic matter. It is now understood that this is not the case. Rather, all orchids at during some stage in their development are myco-heterotrophic meaning that they rely on fungi for nutritional boosts especially at the germination stage. The word, orchid, comes from the Greek word, orchis, which means "testicle" referring to the underground root tubers some species have.
