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Project Noah Nature School
Balanophoraceae
The plants are normally found in moist inland forests growing on tree roots and have an aboveground inflorescence with the overall appearance of a fungus, composed of numerous minute flowers. The inflorescences develop inside the tuberous underground part of the plant, before rupturing it and surfacing. The plants are monoecious, or dioecious, and the fruits are indehiscent drupes or nuts. The underground portion, which attaches itself to the host, looks like a tuber, and is not a proper root system. The plants contain no chlorophyll.
rainforest
Spotted this hiking on my way to the famous rootbridges of Cherrapunjee.
Spotted on Dec 7, 2007
Submitted on May 7, 2011
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