Saprophytic plants lack chlorophyll.
These unique plants, unlike most others in the plant kingdom, do not produce their own food through photosynthesis. This inability stems from the absence of chlorophyll, the green pigment essential for capturing sunlight and converting it into energy.
Instead of photosynthesis, saprophytes obtain their nutrients from dead or decaying organic matter. They accomplish this by secreting enzymes that break down the organic material, allowing them to absorb the resulting nutrients directly. This heterotrophic mode of nutrition distinguishes them significantly from autotrophic plants that create their own food.
Essentially, chlorophyll is the defining element that saprophytic plants are missing, leading them to evolve alternative methods of survival.
