Question

What is an interaction called when an orchid grows on a mango plant.

Answer 1

Hint: In the first place, let us discuss orchids. Orchids are the type of epiphytic plants. Epiphytes are the plants that grow on other plants for physical support as they don't contain the mechanical tissues.

Complete Answer:
>Epiphytes cannot be found on the ground or any other nutrient sources.
>Epiphytes are usually found on the tree trunk, branches of trees, leaves etc. They obtain nutrition from air, rain water and other sources.
>Epiphytes have well adapted characteristics to meet their requirements.
>When the land is covered by many plants, adaptation of epiphytes help them grow more in such regions.
>They are usually found in temperate and tropical regions.
>Most of the epiphytes are angiosperms also called as flowering plants.

Orchids grow on a mango inorder to procure mechanical support. They do not obtain any nutrients from it. They together show commensalism, where orchids are getting benefited by receiving the support from the mango tree. Whereas the mango tree remains unaffected as it neither receives any benefit nor harm.

Note:Epiphytes are commonly known as 'air plants' as they do not grow on the soil instead grow on the branches, trunk and leaves of other plants.