A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Monotropa uniflora
Well looks like this ia a plant and a fairly special one also!! Thanks for the help in identifying this. Special because it is fairly rare in the world. Also this plant does no use photosynthesis to nourish itself. That is why the plant is white. If you want to know abit more, look in the reference section. There is a link to an article on wikipedia! here is an excert from the article- `` 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. The complex relationship that allows this plant to grow also makes propagation difficult.``
Spotted on Jul 3, 2005
Submitted on Feb 3, 2012
19 Comments
I find this plant X-Tra ordinary because it is able to grow in areas with little or no sunlight. Aslo in the way it nourishes itself seeing as it does not need sunlight to feed itself. Read the description if you want to know more!!
Very interesting!
Done!!
no problem, you could set this in the discription, so that no old question keep coming !!
very interesting - hope you find a lot more interesting spottings around your place !
Thanks Alex. :-)
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. The complex relationship that allows this plant to grow also makes propagation difficult. -- from the link
im basing this on the article in wikipedia, im far from being an expert!! see the link ive included. :-)
Not parasitic, saprophytic.
This was mentioned in one of my classes. They are very interesting in terms of how they work with their host. Nice photos!
Thanks Argybee and MaryEvans2!
Very interesting read on wikipedia. Although my knowledge of alot of the terms are poor, I get the idea!! Lucky to have stumbled across this plant! :-)
Very interesting spotting.
Thanks alot Clive and Emma for your help and specially your interest in what I thought would be a picture of little interest!! I love being in the great outdoors and also taking pictures! This is the best site ive found on the net in a long time and makes me want to get outside and take more interesting pictures for discussion!!! Also to learn more about the plants and animals that live in my area. Again, thankyou very much! (and i cant wait to get home and read the article on wikipedia!!!). :-)
Thanks for identifying it!! It is a puzzling one indeed!!
Great spot - good read at wiki too about in interesting and kind of weird plant. Thanks.
Clive,according to the wikipedia,it is a mycoheterotroph.
Like most mycoheterotrophic plants, M. uniflora associates with a small range of fungal hosts, all of them members of Russulaceae.
Clive ,yes these are parasitic and they do not need sunlight. I would consider this an unusual find!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monotropa_u...
Ronald,Clive has a species suggestion and I would definitely go by it ,because he is an expert.Thnx