Cluster of Monotropa uniflora
This unusual flowering plant, which goes by such names as Indian Pipe, Ghost Flower, or Corpse Plant, is white because it lacks chlorophyll. It depends on a fungus for its nutrients; the fungus, in turn, depends on other plants. Emily Dickinson called it "the preferred flower of life," and her first volume of poetry (published posthumously) had the flower on its cover.
Monotropa uniflora
This unusual flowering plant, which goes by such names as Indian Pipe, Ghost Flower, or Corpse Plant, is white because it lacks chlorophyll. It depends on a fungus for its nutrients; the fungus, in turn, depends on other plants. Emily Dickinson called it "the preferred flower of life," and her first volume of poetry (published posthumously) had the flower on its cover.
Indian Pipe sprouts
Blue Knob State Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Indian Pipe sprout
Blue Knob State Park, Pennsylvania, USA
The Preferred Flower of Life
Indian Pipes
Indian Pipes
The Nature Conservancy - Lizard Tail Swamp Preserve, Cape May County, New Jersey, USA