Mode of Nutrition in Plant - Saprophytic Plants

Saprophytic plants are plants that get their food from dead and decaying matter. They do not make their own food like other green plants because they lack chlorophyll. Instead, they absorb nutrients from the dead remains of plants or animals.

• Saprophytes, like fungi (such as mushrooms and yeast), play an important role in nature by helping break down dead organisms.
• Fungi secrete special chemicals called digestive enzymes onto the dead material. These enzymes help break down complex carbon compounds (like proteins and sugars) into simpler forms.
• After breaking down the dead material, the saprophytic plants or fungi absorb the nutrients from it in the form of a liquid solution.

For example, mushrooms, moulds, yeast, mycorrhizal fungus, etc.

A saprophytic plant