The ghost orchid seed capsule (Dendrophylax lindenii) rarely forms since pollination seldom occurs. A capsule takes up to 9 months to fully develop with viable seeds. It is one of the rarest and most coveted of all North American wild orchids. As a leafless plant its green roots absorb nutrients as well as photosynthesize carbohydrates as a source of food. It is an endangered epiphyte, growing on trees in relatively deep swamps in southwest Florida.