Monotropa uniflora aka Indian Pipe or Ghost Plant

[Plant Pimp]

I found a few of these while hiking in a Canadian costal park and thought you folks might find them interesting. It is a parasitic plant which strangely enough parasitizes a fungus! The fungus has a mycorrhizal relationship with the roots of a tree and this plant tricks the fungus into forming a mycorrhizal relationship with it and steals its nutrients.

So why post in Ethnobotany? It is an ancient Native medicine and has been documented by Europeans as being a substitute for opium. Petersons Feild Guides - Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants says:

American Indians used plant juice for inflamed eyes, bunions, warts; drank tea for aches and pains due to colds. Root tea used for convulsions, fits, epilepsy; sedative. Physicians once used tea as antispasmodic, nervine, sedative for restlessness, pains, nervous irritability. As a folk remedy for sore eyes, the plant was soaked in rosewater, then a cloth was soaked in th emixture and applied to the eyes. water extracts are bactericidal. Warning: safety undertimined; possibly toxic - contains several glycosides.

I have a feeling this plant should be studied further. The comparison to opium might be because of the salicylic acid content, but it sounds like it has alot of other valuable properties. It would be nearly impossible to cultivate, but maybe the chemicals found could be a starting point for some synthetics. It only grows in the richest forest, so I hope it exists long enough to be properly studied. Maybe in my retirement

Here is a page with a little info of its strange feeding relationships.

Info Page

[cisumevil]

Stunning THANKS for sharing

[Stonehenge]

Is it a true plant or a fungus? It is very interesting.

[Plant Pimp]

It is a true plant with the typical vascular system and has a single typical flower which even produces a fruit. It is often mistaken for a fungus because it is pure white. It does have a few leaflets along the stem. But it really has no use for leaves other than area for respiration. When I first saw one 3 years ago I ignorantly picked it out of curiosity, not realizing how rare they were and it melted in a few minutes and what was left turned black! Another name for it is Nort American Ice Plant. I think it's rigidity depends on water content more than any fiber in the stem. Just a guess though.

[MORG]

Wow, that's a really special plant.

Thanks for the info

[PD.]

WOW

That is amazing.

looks like something out of a Jim Henson movie

[occidentalis]

Another interesting one is Rhizanthella garderi

an underground orchid, native to SW WA

Entirely subterranean and achlorophyllous

Lives on nutrients provided by a Rhizoctonia mycorrhizal partner, which acquires them solely by parasitising the roots of Melaleuca uncinata bushes.

Pollination vectors are not known yet but are probably either an underground wasp or fungus gnats.

Fruit dispersal vectors are probably fossorial marsupials

R. gardneri is rated critically endangered (IUCN) and vulnerable (under the EPBC act)

Edited July 24, 2006 by creach