Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Thursday - August 09, 2007
From: Blumenort, MB
Region: Canada
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identification of Monotropa uniflora
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I found a peculiar flower in Nopoming Provincial Forest, Manitoba last weekend (August 4th). I found it growing in moss on top of rock (the Canadian shield). It was in shade. About 3 or 4 were clumped together. They were entirely white. They were entirely the same texture (almost rubbery?). They each started from a straight smooth stem coming up out of the moss and wrapped tightly over (like a candy cane, but more closely to the stem). Then a flower with stiff petals facing towards the ground. Do you know what it was??? I had never seen anything like it before. It was about six inches tall, and all white.ANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants thinks what you saw was Monotropa uniflora (Indianpipe), a very unusual plant that is associated with a fungus that parasitizes the roots of green plants; thus, the Indianpipe parasitizes the parasite for its nutrients. Previously, the Genus Monotropa was in the Family Ericaceae (Heath Family) which contains blueberries, cranberries and azaleas. Now it has its very own family, Family Monotropaceae.
You can read more about Monotropa uniflora and other members of the Monotropaceae.
More Plant Identification Questions
Plant identification
June 25, 2009 - I found a low-growing plant with thick spoon shaped light green leaves. It was growing in the edged of a lawn, The leaves almost look like they have fine white hairs on them. It is very pretty, but wh...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification of chenille-like plant in Florida
July 27, 2011 - I live in Central Florida. I have a small, 8-10 inch plant that grows wild in the yard and has a 1 to 1-1/2 inch, bright red, feathery flower on it. I can't seem to find it on the internet and I'm ...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification of conifer-like low plant in Alabama
September 27, 2011 - When walking in woods of Alabama we found a plant that grows along the ground. looks like a conifer about 2 or 3 inches tall, has a trailing vine under the leaves and pops up little sprigs of greener...
view the full question and answer
Identification of gourd plant growing in central California
August 10, 2012 - I am not sure if this flowering plant is native to North America. It is found in dry land grazing fields at about 100 feet in elevation in central California. It is large--2-6 feet across with a sti...
view the full question and answer
Fungi in the flower bed
October 01, 2007 - Found a strange thing in my flower bed, while tilling. It was egg shape, white, with a little purple, soft but tough like leather on the outside, with a small 2 inch root. Curiosity got me so I cut it...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
