I don't remember where I copied this from, but I was wondering the same thing when I got my indoor lighting (same type you see in Big Bills' posts) and really got into paphs and phrags.
'Yes, Paphiopedilum have root hairs. The outer velamen layer of the underside of the root produces root hairs. These hairs act like a sponge, absorbing nutrients and water from the soil and sending them through the tip of the plant's root. The more root hairs a plant has, the more water and nutrients it can absorb from the soil.'
From another source.
'Root hairs function as an extension of plant epidermal cells in growing plant roots. They serve to increase the surface area of plant roots and help the plant extract more water from the soil as well as more efficiently extract nutrients from the soil. Root hairs also can interact with bacteria and fungi in the soil to help the plant extract nutrients. Root hairs can also stabilize the plants interaction with the soil, especially in young seedlings.'
