THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



57 



to the supersensitive who regard it as uncanny and call it 

 "corpse plant." The shape of the blossoms is like exquis- 

 itely carved pipes, hence their other name, "indian pipes." 



Only one species is known — Monotropa uniflora, but 

 this has travelled much. The plants have made settle- 

 ments in both hemispheres. We find them in the northern 



woods throughout the North American continent, they 

 stand together in white-clad groups in far Japan and 

 though so frail and delicate, they are, in Asia, undaunted 

 little Humboldts climbing the Himalayas and living in the 

 seclusion of the mountain solitudes. 



What appear to be leaves about the smooth and waxy 

 stems of the plant are properly but scattered scales or 



