The essence of the relationship is that the plant provides the fungi with nutrition and a safe haven to exist, while the fungi provide carbon and water. One of the great challenges for those who try to rescue wild orchid species from development projects is that 99% of them. Terrestrial orchids rely heavily on a symbiotic relationship with fungi. Some terrestrial orchids are ever green. While there are over 880 genera of orchid and over 100,000 hybrids, the orchids can be categorized into three main types. This makes many orchids completely dependent on the fungi that feed it.

Further than that, there is evidence that the orchid also relies on the nutrients provided by the fungi from feeding on the surrounding fauna. Each of these types speaks to their preferred growing environment. The 'Terrestrial' orchid flourishes by having roots that grow into the ground. However most die back during the winter months when it is cold and dry, then re shoot from an underground tuberoid the following spring.

These orchids have pseudobulbs that are used to retain water and nutrients, feeding the plat the year round.