How do mycoheterotrophic plants obtain nutrients from fungi?

Mycoheterotrophic plants obtain nutrients by forming root attachments to fungi, creating a nonreciprocal relationship where they leach carbon-based nutrients without providing benefits in return.1

There are two primary ways these plants acquire these nutrients:

• Exploiting Mycorrhizal Networks: Most mycoheterotrophs tap into mycorrhizal symbioses. In this tripartite arrangement, the mycoheterotroph leaches carbohydrates that the fungus has already obtained from a photosynthetic autotrophic plant. Because the carbon originates from another plant, this interaction is sometimes referred to as "epiparasitism".21
• Directly from Saprotrophic Fungi: Certain species, particularly within the orchid family, derive nutrition directly from saprotrophic fungi. These fungi feed on decaying organic matter, allowing the plant to obtain carbon without involving a third-party autotrophic partner.1

While these plants were historically misidentified as "saprophytes" (implying they fed directly on decaying matter themselves), they are now correctly classified as mycoheterotrophs, as they rely on fungal networks for their nourishment.1