Vegetatively, the roots of orchids in general spread
over the surface of its phorophytes to absorb available
nutrients. These are often present themselves infected
with mycorrhizal fungi, which are responsible for
facilitating the absorption of minerals by plants in a
mutualistic and harmonious relationship. Such organs
are anatomically defined by multistratified epidermis
called velamen (Pridgeon 1987, Porembski & Barthlott
1988), which has the function to absorb and deliver
water from the vicinity of the rhizosphere ceding it to
other tissues during drought periods (Pridgeon 1987,
Pedroso-de-Moraes 2000, Moraes & Almeida 2004).