Sunday, September 11, 2011

Indian Pipe - Macro Monday/ABC Wednesday (I)


While on vacation at the cottage, I spent a lot of time (too much time), photographing various mushrooms and fungi. I thought this little gem was some king of fungus, but I was wrong.
Click on the pics to enlarge
It's a herbaceous perennial plant (Monotropa uniflora), in the Ericaceae family,
AKA - Indian Pipe, Ice Plant, Fairy Smoke, Ghost Flower, Corpse Plant, Ghost Pipe, Dutchman's Pipe, Eyebright, Convulsion Weed, and Fit Root.


This is one of about 3000 species of non-photosynthetic (i.e. heterotrophic) flowering plants. It's white and doesn't have any chlorophyll. Instead of generating energy from sunlight, it is parasitic. Its hosts are certain fungi that are mycorrhizal with trees, meaning it ultimately gets its energy from photosynthetic trees. (Thanks for that info Wikipedia).
It can grow in very dark environments as on the floor of dense forests, which is exactly where I found it!

For more Macro shots of just about everything,
 click on over to Lisa's Chaos - Macro Monday!

Click on over to ABC WEDNESDAY and see what's happening with the letter I
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53 comments:

  1. EllieSeptember 11, 2011 at 6:31 PM

    What an unusual flower. I quite like it though.

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  2. KelSeptember 11, 2011 at 6:55 PM

    what fascinating little plants
    i first thought they were roses with burned tips and covered in ash

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  3. DimpleSeptember 11, 2011 at 7:18 PM

    These are pretty, in an unusual way. I like them!

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  4. Inger-MSeptember 11, 2011 at 7:19 PM

    Wow, that is so unusual, but very beautiful! I would have thought it was some kind of fungus, too. Great find and shot!

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  5. Kim, USASeptember 11, 2011 at 8:22 PM

    OMG this plant had all the bad name lol!!! I even like to add a name to this with "white eyeball" hahaha. But seriouslly, I find it very pretty. Good thing you spotted this "mushroom" looks very tiny. And yes thanks for wiki, the word photosynthesis, hmmm I remember that word when I was in elementary? LOL!Thanks for sharing!

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  6. LeoraSeptember 11, 2011 at 8:33 PM

    Lovely and unusual. What great colors.

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  7. LVSeptember 11, 2011 at 8:46 PM

    Thanks so much for sharing this most interesting plant. Never have seen anything like it. It actually is pretty.

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  8. EMilySeptember 11, 2011 at 8:50 PM

    how cool! great shot and great information!

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  9. CarlettaSeptember 11, 2011 at 8:57 PM

    Now that is unique. I want some. :)
    Great shots!

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  10. genieSeptember 11, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    Well, you have blown my husband and me out of the ballpark tonight with these shots. We have seen what we call Indian pipes in the share alongside a creek, but never one with these colors. Ours are just a dull old muted tannish color. These are gorgeous. Thank you so very much for sharing them. Now the two of us are on a mission to find some. Hope you have as nice a week as these photos are beautiful. genie

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  11. TeresaSeptember 11, 2011 at 10:19 PM

    Beautiful pictures! That is an amazing little flower you found. I'm so glad you shared all that information with us.

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  12. RoanSeptember 11, 2011 at 10:57 PM

    I've never seen anything like it. It's odd, but beautiful!

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  13. forgetmenotSeptember 12, 2011 at 1:02 AM

    Karen, Those are amazing!!! So weird, but definitely beautiful. Have a great time with your granddaughter at the zoo. It is twice as much fun when you go with a child--enjoy. Mickie :)

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  14. Christina, SwedenSeptember 12, 2011 at 3:38 AM

    interesting plant, never seen any but then again i read that I cannot find it here...
    great color and details

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  15. Stewart MSeptember 12, 2011 at 4:22 AM

    Hi there - thats some flower. Reminds me of some types of orchids that dont make their own food either! Just steal it from the roots of other plants.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

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  16. sigaSeptember 12, 2011 at 5:30 AM

    No words... This looks like science fiction! So cool

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  17. Les...September 12, 2011 at 5:51 AM

    mystical, delicate and exotic... great pic! *S*

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  18. TwiggySeptember 12, 2011 at 6:30 AM

    Cool capture!

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  19. HalcyonSeptember 12, 2011 at 9:54 AM

    How interesting. I've never seen a plant like this before!

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  20. ScottSeptember 12, 2011 at 9:56 AM

    Very cool shots and plant. I have never seen anything like it.

    You asked on my blog this weekend which macro I am using. I use the Nikon 105mm micro. Very sharp lens.

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  21. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2011 at 9:58 AM

    Thanks for sharing this unusual plant. Thought I saw signs of fungi before getting to your explanation! Very cool and Happy Macro Monday.

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  22. NatureFootstepSeptember 12, 2011 at 10:14 AM

    nice. I have never seen it so I suppsoe we don´t have it. It looks like it was painted. Beautifully captured by you. :)

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  23. LauraSeptember 12, 2011 at 10:23 AM

    what an awesomely funky plant you found Karen! Great photos:-)

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  24. BarbaraSeptember 12, 2011 at 10:45 AM

    I've never seen these before. They're so strange and lovely.

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  25. GattinaSeptember 12, 2011 at 11:30 AM

    That's a rather fairy flower ! never seen ! beautiful !

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  26. ShifanSeptember 12, 2011 at 11:53 AM

    This is the first time that i see this type of flowers.

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  27. BirgittaSeptember 12, 2011 at 12:38 PM

    Such unusual flowers! Great photos!

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  28. namakiSeptember 12, 2011 at 12:47 PM

    In the mean time, it's beautiful !

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  29. JapySeptember 12, 2011 at 1:22 PM

    That looks to me like a very strange plant. However I love the photos. Greetings.

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  30. aspiritofsimplicitySeptember 12, 2011 at 3:53 PM

    Great pictures. It's not that easy to photograph mushrooms. Thanks for the interesting information also.

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  31. LeoviSeptember 12, 2011 at 5:03 PM

    Fabulous flowers, had not ever seen, I love the color.

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  32. GunssideSeptember 12, 2011 at 5:30 PM

    Wow this was beautiful, never seen something like this, great :)

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  33. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2011 at 9:08 PM

    Very educational. This is a curiously attractive parasite! Neat colors and interesting patterns.

    We have the phallic-looking red fungi growing in our landscaping that I've never seen before - must be all the rain we're getting.

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  34. KalaSeptember 12, 2011 at 11:29 PM

    That is some of the prettiest colored fungi I've ever seen!

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  35. SivindenSeptember 13, 2011 at 6:23 AM

    At first I thought that they weren't real. A very special plant - and so beautiful!

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  36. Beyond ZephyrSeptember 13, 2011 at 10:30 AM

    Wow..I haven't seen any thing like this before! Fascinating and beautiful photos.

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  37. Rosie@travel-i-talesSeptember 13, 2011 at 12:22 PM

    They look like an artist's attempt at drawing roses. Incredible that they are real flowers.Beautiful shots!
    Rosie

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  38. Roger Owen GreenSeptember 13, 2011 at 1:42 PM

    wow, what an odd flower;
    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

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  39. VioletSky-SightlinesSeptember 13, 2011 at 2:03 PM

    it is strangely, rather pretty!

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  40. FranciscaSeptember 13, 2011 at 2:12 PM

    Totally unique and wonderful. And your macro would look fabulous in a frame. Two thumbs up on this one Karen!

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  41. Gigi AnnSeptember 13, 2011 at 2:41 PM

    What a fantastic picture of the Indian Pipe. And the Information was quite Interesting also.

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  42. KathySeptember 13, 2011 at 3:09 PM

    Very interesting plant. Nice photos.

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  43. MarianneSeptember 13, 2011 at 4:05 PM

    That first shot is great. Couldn't tell what it was if you payed me. Couldn't tell from the second shot either, but that's because I have never heard of that plant. Love your macro shots!

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  44. Chronicles of IllusionsSeptember 13, 2011 at 4:21 PM

    Wow - beautiful shot - beautiful plant

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  45. CarverSeptember 13, 2011 at 8:43 PM

    Very unique and interesting plant. It does almost look like some kind of fungi.

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  46. Chubskulit RoseSeptember 13, 2011 at 9:11 PM

    I have never seen one like that, so exotic looking. I think that the ghost plat is the perfect name for it lol.

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  47. RajeshSeptember 13, 2011 at 10:27 PM

    Wonderful shots of the plant. Not seen before.

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  48. EdenSeptember 13, 2011 at 11:43 PM

    My first time to see this plant. Beautiful photos.

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  49. photowannabeSeptember 14, 2011 at 12:42 PM

    Spectacular shot of the strange world of fungi.
    This is one I have never seen before. Very exotic.

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  50. MerylSeptember 14, 2011 at 2:33 PM

    WOW. How beautiful and unusual (at least to my untrained eye). Great post.

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  51. Paula Scott Molokai Girl StudioSeptember 15, 2011 at 10:21 AM

    Interesting!!! It is a beautiful-plant? Do we call it plant if it is non-chlorophyllic? I would've spent way too much time doing the same thing you did and I'm glad you did!

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  52. CanadianGardenJoySeptember 19, 2011 at 3:43 PM

    Karen girl I wish I could see one of these groupings in real life ! they are awesome and this is a fantastic picture of them: )
    Joy

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  53. MadSnapperSeptember 25, 2014 at 12:47 PM

    amazing and I have never seen or heard of this plant before

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