Indianpipe

Indianpipe, also called ghost pipeis a mycotrophic epiparasite. It receives water and other nutrients by tapping into the thread-like cells (hyphae) of the vegetative part (mycelium) of soil-borne mycorrhizal fungi. It parasitizes only Russula and Lactarius species, both members of the Russulaceae family. While the soil-borne fungi feed on the roots of trees in a mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationship, Indianpipe provides no benefit to the host fungus or host plant.

Indianpipe is white because it contains no chlorophyll. It rises on a solitary stem or a cluster of stems from a more or less spherical mass of short, poorly-developed roots.

The stem is erect, unbranched, round in cross section, and 2″ to 11½″ tall. It is translucent, fleshy, hairless, and usually white, sometimes tinged with red. It turns black when it dries.

The leaves are reduced to bract-like scales. They are stalkless, lance-shaped, 3 ⁄16″ to 9 ⁄16″ long, and ⅛″ to ¼″ wide. Like the stem, they are white and translucent. They are slightly sac-like at the base and sharply pointed at the tip. The margins are usually unlobed and untoothed, rarely slightly irregularly cut, as if torn. The upper surface is hairless. The lower surface has scattered hairs.

The inflorescence is a solitary ½″ to ¾″ long flower nodding at the top of the stem. The flower is subtended by a single leaf-like bract.

The flower is broadly tubular or bell shaped and ½″ to ¾″ long. There are usually 5, sometimes 4 sepals; usually 5 but as few as 3 or as many as 6 petals; 8 to 14 stamens; and 1 style. The sepals are similar to the bracts. They are white, separate, and may be lance-shaped, spatula-shaped, oblong, or elliptic. They are usually shed before the flower is fully open. The petals are usually white, sometimes tinged with red. They are separate, broadly oblong or inversely egg-shaped, ⅜″ to ¾″ long, and 3 ⁄16″ to ⅝″ in wide. They are usually covered with minute hairs on the inner surface. They are easily bruised and often have black flecks. The stamens do not project beyond the petals. They are in two whorled series, the inner series longer than the outer series. The filaments are white. The anthers are elliptic. The stigma is broad, prominent, and inversely cone-shaped.

The fruit is a globe-shaped to egg-shaped, ⅜″ to ½″ long, 5 ⁄16″ to ⅜″ in wide capsule with numerous seeds. It is held erect at the end of the stem.

2″ to 11½″

White

Moderately moist to dry upland forests; bottomland forests; coniferous forests, mixed-deciduous forests.

June to September

Indianpipe was once thought to be saprophytic, getting its nutrients from decaying organic matter. It is now known that it is mycotrophic, meaning it parasitizes a narrow range of fungi in the Russulaceae family.