NOTE - There's a cool new weekly challenge on Steemit called the World Wide Flora contest. Check out the profile World Wild Flora for more information on how you can participate!
Almost three years ago, I found these amazing looking things growing in the woods just off the edge of our backyard. My first impression was that they were the ghosts of roses past. As per my usual, I headed straight to Google, and discovered that I wasn't too far off - while there are many common names for Monotropa uniflora, they include Ghost Flowers or Ghost Pipes. It's also known as Indian Pipes, Death Plants, Ice Plants, and Fairy Smoke. It's not particularly rare, but not exactly common either.
Pair of Ghost Flowers in the early stages of growing, July 2016
According to Wikipedia, it is -
a herbaceous perennial plant native to temperate regions of Udmurtiya in European Russia, Asia, North America and northern South America, but with large gaps between areas. It was formerly classified in the family Monotropaceae; however, it has now been included within the Ericaceae. It is generally scarce or rare in occurrence.[citation needed]Unlike most plants, it is white and does not contain chlorophyll. Instead of generating energy from sunlight, it is parasitic, more specifically a myco-heterotroph. Its hosts are certain fungi that are mycorrhizal with trees, meaning it ultimately gets its energy from photosynthetic trees. Since it is not dependent on sunlight to grow, it can grow in very dark environments as in the understory of dense forest. It is often associated with beech trees. The complex relationship that allows this plant to grow also makes propagation difficult.
Single Ghost Flower, July 2016
Fun fact
Ghost flowers/Indian Pipes were the favorite flower of Emily Dickinson - in fact, Emily's friend Mabel Todd (who was also her editor) gave her a painting of the flowers, to which Emily famously replied - “That without suspecting it you should send me the preferred flower of life, seems almost supernatural, and the sweet glee that I felt at meeting it, I could confide to none.” That painting was then used as the cover of her book of poetry (published in 1890 after her death).
Image via the Library of America
As for it's uses, there aren't really many. I've come across a few websites (for example, Gardening Know How) that say the Native Americans used to use it in medicine, most notably for eye infections. And while it's technically edible (and part of the blueberry family, believe it or not!), it's not recommended.
Close up, July 2016
When I first took pictures back in 2015, I was using my old Olympus Digital camera with the automatic flash, since they like dank, dark places.
One of my first shots of a ghost flower, July 2015
In 2016, I had my brand-spanking new Nikon COOLPIX P610 to take pictures (always on auto mode, and using both the built in macro and regular lens).
Sometimes ghost flowers are red - this one has a slight, pinkish hue
I also got some some shots towards the end of July, when they'd passed their prime, but still looked creepy cool.
Dead corpse flower - or is that redundant?
I was wicked bummed last year, though - I checked all through the month of July 2017, in the half dozen places I'd spotted them in the previous two years, but nada. Fingers crossed I score some new shots this summer!
Mother Nature has such cool stuff!
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I really need to study photography and start shooting new subjects. Nice photo @traciyork
the flowers are amazing
Thanks, @albayeun! 😊
very interesting post as well as a new contest to participate in! thanks @traciyork
Thanks you so much in return, @claudiaz! 😊
This is fascinating. One of my daughters did a school science projects on mycorrhizal fungi , but I never knew that there were plants that completely depended on them.
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That sounds like an awesome project, @toddrjohnson. And thanks so much from dropping by from the #steemitbloggers fam bam!
Great shots of the fungi. I didn't know about the flora contest and I have some interesting fungus shots myself that I may post. Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
You're very welcome, @camuel! Thanks in return for your kind words, and for stopping by! 😊
Wicked cool photos and awesome fun facts about ghost flowers! I'll keep an eye out for them around here. The quote from Emily Dickinson was interesting. Lots of words just to say "thank you"! LOL!
Thanks, Roger! And that's one of the things I love about Emily - she makes me look downright silent... LOL!
Literally they are looking like an insect.
So cool, aren't they? Thanks for dropping by, @arpitpaliwal!