ERICACEAE 



HEATH FAMILY 



INDIAN PIPE. CORPSE PLANT 



Monotropa uniflora L. 



This most curious flower has no green parts. Stems, 



leaves and flowers are white — so white that the plant is some- 

 times called Corpse Plant or Ghost Flower, and is often 



mistaken for a fungus. 



It was formerly thought that 



the Indian Pipe obtained its 



food from dead organic matter 



just as many fungi do. Now, 



however, it is known that a 



fungus entirely covers the roots 



and is partly within them; it is 



believed that in some way the 



Indian Pipe is a parasite on the 



fungus and obtains at least part 



of its food from the fungus body. 



The Indian Pipe grows in dense 

 rich woods nearly throughout North 

 America except in the far north. 

 The scapes, usually clustered, rise 

 2-12 inches high from mats of 

 brittle roots. 



The solitary odorless flower is 

 nodding at the tip of the scape, 

 and blooms from June to August. 

 The calyx consists of 2-4 irregular 

 scales or bracts and the corolla of 

 usually 5 wedge-shaped scalelike 

 petals a little longer than the 8 or 

 10 stamens. The pistil consists of a 

 4 or 5-celled ovary, a short stout 

 style and a disklike stigma. The 

 fruit is a capsule containing innumerable very small seeds. 



Deep in the wood, of scent and song the daughter, 



Perfect and bright is the magnolia born; 

 White as a flake of foam upon still water. 



White as soft fleece upon rough brambles torn. 



T/ie Magnolia — Jose S.antos Choc.wo 

 (Translated by John Pierrepont Rice) 



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