There are 17 species of mycoheterotrophic plants in the Heath family. The are mainly found in the temperate forests of the northern hemisphere.
FACT SHEET
Classification: Eudicots, Ericales
Genera with mycoheterotrophic species: Monotropa, Hypopitys, Allotropa, Cheilotheca, Hemitomes, Monotropastrum, Monotropsis, Pityopus, Pleuricospora, Pterospora, Pyrola, Sarcodes
Diversity: Ericaceae comprise approximately 126 genera and 3,995 species. Eleven largely monospecific genera comprise fully mycoheterotrophic species. One genus, Pyrola, has a single mycoheterotrophic taxon.
Distribution: Cosmopolitan, but uncommon in many lowland tropical and desert regions. The mycoheterotrophic species are primarily temperate and when found in tropical regions are in montane habitats.
Fungi: Mycoheterotrophic Ericaceae grow on ectomycorrhizal fungi.
Fun fact: Hypopitys monotropa has the broadest continuous distribution range of any mycoheterotrophic plant (throughout the temperate forests of the northern hemisphere and into the Andes in South America).
Pictures
mycoheterotrophy 