Saprophytes

Saprophytes (named from the Greek sapros, "rotten ), are plants which grow and feed upon decaying organic matter, often upon dead or decaying leaves. Though most green plants are probably in part saprophytic, and there are transition cases of plants partly saprophytic, typical saprophytes contain no chlorophyll. Among fungi (q.v.) many moulds, agarics, and other forms are saprophytic, whilst others are parasitic or either saprophytic or parasitic. Among Monocotyledons the blrds-nest and coral-root orchids are marked examples of saprophytism, parasitism being unknown in this class. Among Dicotyledons the toothwort Lathraea squamaria) is partly saprophytic and partly parasitic, and the insectivorous Sarraceniaceae and Utricularia, since they have apparently no digestive process, must also be classed as saprophytes. It is noteworthy that in their case, as in that of the toothwort, the absorbent organs are gland-studded leaf-structures. In both the saprophytic orchids and in Lathraea the leaves are reduced to brownish scales.