Day 271: I have my good friend Kevin Bacher to thank for helping bring this shot to you today. During our "lunch break" walks, he went one way and I went another. We both returned with photos, and I was so impressed with his capture of a cluster of Pinesap that I asked him if we could swing through the campground on our way home from work. While I was down on my knees addressing Monotropa hypopitys, Kevin was taking pictures of my least glamorous side, the stinker!
Pinesap is closely related to Ghost Pipe (M. uniflora), another of those wonderful mycoheterotrophs you've heard me discuss previously. These fascinating plants lack chlorophyll, and form a complex symbiotic relationship with a fungus in order to draw nutrients from their environment. You will find them in shady forested areas, glowing like tiny torches amongst moss and other greenery, often appearing in colonies such as this one at Longmire.
have never seen these in our forests, but will sure be looking now :) really neat!
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