The Non-Green Plants 



381 



U . S. Forest :iervice 



Fig. 240. A winter view in Texas, showing the mistletoe, an ever- 

 green parasite, growing on the deciduous mesquite. 



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Saprophytes. A saprophyte is a plant that depends for its 

 food on dead organic material. These plants live in the soil, on 

 the dead bark and heartwood of trees, and on a great variety of 

 plant products. They are exemplified among flowering plants 

 by the Indian pipe, a common plant of moist woods. The body 

 of the plant consists of a rather large root-like base from which 

 colorless branches bearing flowers arise. From the humus in 

 which it grows it secures water and organic compounds sufficient 

 to furnish the materials and energy used in building its tissues. 

 Like many of the flowering plants the root-like base of the 

 Indian pipe is penetrated by fungi, which seem to be essential 

 to its growth. Perhaps the fungi aid in transforming a part of 



