Imibalabala Ebomvu Eqhweni—Evela Ekuqaleni Kwentwasahlobo

“UMA uke wayibona, awusoze wayikhohlwa; umbala obomvu okukhazimulayo uvela ngokungazelele ekukhanyeni kwelanga okusithekile ebumnyameni bobuthuthu behlathi.” Ikhuluma kanjalo i-Western Forests, incwadi eyisiqondiso sezemvelo ye-Audubon Society nge-snow plant, i-Sarcodes sanguinea. Ivusa amadlingozi ngisho nangokwengeziwe uma uyibona isaqala, lapho ifufusa phakathi kweqhwa elincibilikayo. “Isitshalo esingavamile esiqatha, esiyisigaxa, esibomvu okukhazimula ngokuphelele, esinamacembe azongelezene esiqwini esikhulu nasontene phakathi kwamagatshana ezimbali ngaphezulu,” kuningiliza i-Western Forests. Izinhlobonhlobo zayo zitholakala kuphela emahlathini aseCalifornia nase-Oregon eseningizimu anezihlahla ezingabuni zohlobo lwe-conifer.

I-snow plant ingenye yama-saprophyte, uhlobo lwezitshalo olungenalo uhlaza, olungenayo i-chlorophyll, futhi ngaleyondlela alunayo inqubo ye-photosynthesis. Ama-saprophyte aphila ngezitshalo ezifile noma ezibunayo noma ngomquba wezilwane. Amakhowe, ubulembu, namanye ama-fungus nama-bacterium athile angama-saprophyte, kodwa futhi kuleliqembu kunezitshalo eziqhakaza izimbali. I-snow plant ingesinye salezi.

Ezinye zezitshalo eziphakeme ezingama-saprophyte zincike ngokuphelele ekutholeni ukudla kwazo kuma-fungus athile, okubizwa ngokuthi i-mycorrhizal relationship—inhlanganisela yokuzuzisana kwe-fungus (myco) nesimiso sezimpande (rhiza) sesitshalo esiphakeme. Ezimweni ezinjalo izimpande ze-saprophyte zizintula ngokoqobo izimunca-manzi zezimpande. I-fungus ithatha isikhundla sokwenza umsebenzi wokumunca okusansimbi nomswakama. I-Encyclopedia Americana (International Edition) ithi: “Ukubaluleka kwama-mycorrhiza njengobudlelwane bokusizana kwatholwa yisazi saseJalimane sesayensi yezitshalo u-Albert Bernard Frank ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-19 njengomxhantela wokuhlolwa kokukhula kwe-truffle okwakwenzelwa uhulumeni wasePrussia.”