The most exciting new wildflower discovery in a long time! A bit of shocking pink among the September leaf litter. Kudos to AF Brian for spotting it first. It’s very like Indian Pipe, but this wonderful color, and it’s rare. It’s a mycotrophic flower — it has no chlorophyll and gets its nutrition from host green plants like a fungus. But instead of being a direct parasite on the host roots, it taps into an intermediary fungus on the roots of the host. Unlike a fungus, it does flower and bear seeds. Can be 12 inches high! Native. Pyrola family.
Pinesap, Dutchman’s Pipe, False Beechdrops (Monotropa hypopithys)
Dutchmen must have been quite flamboyant in their pipe choices! Love these names.
Was that in an area new to you? It doesn’t look like something you would ever miss. Very unusual looking
No, it’s pretty close to us, but i didn’t go there frequently until this last year or so, when i found some interesting trails I hadn’t known about before and started to think it was a more interesting place– this is a lowland swampy trail that still has new things to notice, apparently. Quite near to this plant is where I photographed that Death Cap mushroom too.
These “post summer” pictures are fabulous. love the “pinky” pipes. Must be beautiful to see them rising up from the forest floor. Great research on the mushrooms as well. would have loved to have seen the turtle parade! great stuff here, thanks.
thanks! yes, it was really great to discover those pinky pipes… to think of all the years I didn’t bother exploring Ridge Hill!