▁into ▁orch id ▁▁ ▁Mut ual istic ▁fung i ▁can ▁enter ▁at ▁various ▁orch id ▁life ▁stages . ▁F ung al ▁hy pha e ▁can ▁pen et rate ▁the ▁par en chy ma ▁cells ▁of ▁germ in ated ▁orch id ▁se eds , ▁proto c orm s , ▁late - st aged ▁seed lings , ▁or ▁adult ▁plant ▁roots . ▁The ▁fung al ▁hy pha e ▁that ▁enter ▁the ▁orch id ▁have ▁many ▁mit och ond ria ▁and ▁few ▁vac u oles ., ▁thus ▁increasing ▁their ▁met abol ic ▁capacity ▁when ▁pa ired ▁with ▁an ▁accepting ▁sym bi ote . ▁In ▁the ▁proto c orm ▁stage ▁hy pha e ▁enter ▁the ▁ch al az al ▁( top ) ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁emb ry o , ▁however ▁in ▁terrest rial ▁orch ids ▁fung al ▁entry ▁into ▁adult ▁plant ▁roots ▁happens ▁mainly ▁through ▁root ▁hair ▁tips ▁which ▁then ▁take ▁on ▁a ▁dist orted ▁shape . ▁The ▁sym b ios is ▁is ▁typ c ally ▁maintained ▁throughout ▁the ▁lifetime ▁of ▁the ▁orch id ▁because ▁they ▁depend ▁on ▁the ▁fung us ▁for ▁nut ri ents , ▁sug ars ▁and ▁min er als . ▁However , ▁some ▁orch ids ▁have ▁been ▁found ▁to ▁switch ▁fung al ▁partners ▁during ▁extreme ▁conditions . ▁ ▁F ung al ▁pel ot ons ▁and ▁orch id ▁root ▁cor tex ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁the ▁fung us ▁enters ▁an ▁orch id , ▁the ▁fung us ▁produces ▁int rac ell ular ▁hy phal ▁co ils ▁called ▁pel ot ons ▁in ▁the ▁emb ry os ▁of