Yesterday, while Scott and I were exploring, we came across this neat little plant in the lush, moss covered area of the woods. I thought they were a type of mushroom. Thanks to my new FB friend, Keith Paluso III - (who has some awesome snake posts also) I now know they are vampire plants! which absorb their nutrients from the surrounding flora.... (text borrowed from his page) People, look at this craziness. I flipped my lid when I found this. This is a vampire flower. Have you ever seen one of these before? This ghostly sprout is one of the few achlorophyllous plants (a plant without chlorophyll, the chemical needed for photosynthesis) called Indian Pipe. Indian Pipes live deep in the darkest corners of the forest, where they make their living by indirectly stealing nutrients from the roots of surrounding trees. These interesting plants tap into the living mats of fungi in the topsoil (mycorrhyzal fungi) and take all the nutrients they need to live. These plants are common from June to September in most areas, and are yet another reason to remember that some of the coolest things in the world are right under your nose if you just pay attention. We live in a crazy world, dont we?
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 16:41:20 +0000
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