Indian Pipe
Monotropa uniflora |
|
| Family |
Indian Pipe (Monotropaceae) |
 |
| Bloom |
Late Summer, Fall |
| Habitat |
Dry Woods |
| Status |
Native |
| Cycle |
Perennial |
| Height |
2-8" |
| Flower |
Flowers are single
nodding waxy white bell flowers 1/2 - 1" long which hangs from the end of a
white stem. The flowers have 4-5 petals. |
| Leaf |
Very small scale-like leaves,
which often go unnoticed. |
| Notes |
Indian Pipe is a
parasitic plant lacking chlorophyll, which is why it has no coloration.
It turns black with age or if picked. It doesn't make food for itself
like other plants, but gets its food from dead or decaying plant material
through a mutually beneficial fungal relationship. It often grows in
small clumps, but can grow alone. These photos were taken on the
Shauger Hill trail. |
Photo by Kate Drayson in 2006 |
Photo by Kate Drayson in 2006
Note the color detail (pollen?) in the flower. |
