There are no other plants on earth, collectively, that have these intriguing systems. All orchids that we know of have symbioses with fungi. Each orchid uses its own special fungus. So maybe we do need them. A hard fact glares.
Pharmaceutical companies can now put together their own molecules.
Anyway, the economics of searching for medicines in baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers has always been poor. Spending the money on molecular biology gives much better odds than spending the money on saving species. So even this last desperate reason for saving the orchids comes to nothing. That leaves us with the real reasons for saving them - saving plants we like. Dr Dixon asked.