Michael Davis
Indian pipes, also known as ghost plants, are perennial wildflowers that lack chlorophyll, giving them a distinctive white or pinkish colour. They are often mistaken for mushrooms, but they are actually parasitic plants that feed on fungi, which in turn are in symbiosis with trees. Indian pipes are found in mature forests with moist, thick leaf cover, particularly in the United States and northern parts of South America. They are considered important to the ecosystem and were once used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Names | Indian Pipe, Ghost Plant, Corpse Plant, Ghost Pipe, Ghost Flower, Ice Plant, Bird's Nest, One-Flower Indian Pipe |
| Scientific Name | Monotropa uniflora |
| Description | A perennial wildflower with a waxy, ghostly appearance. It is white, sometimes with black flecks or a pale pinkish-white colour. |
| Height | 4-12 inches (10-30 cm) |
| Leaves | Small, scale-like, and vestigial. They do not carry out photosynthesis. |
| Flower | Single, four- to six-parted, bell-shaped, and white, turning purple and then black. |
| Flower Time | Late spring to fall, especially early summer to early autumn |
| Habitat | Mature forests with moist, thick leaf cover, well-drained, shady sites, and rich, moist soil. Found near dead stumps and beech trees. |
| Geographic Distribution | Throughout the United States (except the southwest, intermountain west, and central Rocky Mountains), northern parts of South America, and Alaska. |
| Nutrition | Myco-heterotrophic, obtaining nutrients from fungi, trees, and decaying plant matter. |
| Uses | Native Americans used the sap to treat eye infections. The plant is also edible and tastes like asparagus. |
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What You'll Learn
Indian pipes are wildflowers, not mushrooms
Indian pipes, also known as ghost plants, are wildflowers, not mushrooms. They are native woodland wildflowers that produce no chlorophyll. Instead, they are mycoheterotrophic, meaning they get their nutrients from an outside source—in this case, fungi. This is why they are often mistaken for mushrooms.
Indian pipes (Monotropa uniflora) are perennial wildflowers found throughout the United States, except in the southwest, intermountain west, and central Rocky Mountains. They are also found in the northern parts of South America. These plants spend most of their lives underground and only come above ground to flower and disperse. They usually grow in small clusters and can be white, pink, or have a pale salmon pink coloration with black specks.
The flowers of the Indian pipe are urn-shaped or bell-shaped, with four to six petals and no sepals. The flowers are initially white, turning purple and then black as they ripen. The plant gets its name from the supposed resemblance of its flower to a peace pipe. The Latin epithet "uniflora" in its name also means "one-flowered", as each stem bears only one flower.
Indian pipes are found in mature forests with moist, thick leaf cover and in well-drained, shady sites. They are commonly found near dead stumps and beech trees, which also prefer damp, cool soil. They grow in dark, shady woods with rich, moist soil and plenty of decaying leaves and other plant matter.
Indian pipes play an important role in the ecosystem, and they also have cultural significance. Native Americans used the sap of Indian pipes to treat eye infections and other ailments.
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They are native to the United States and parts of South America
Indian pipes, also known as ghost plants, are native wildflowers found throughout the United States, from Maine to California, and in Alaska, Florida, and Missouri. They are absent from the southwest, intermountain west, and the central Rocky Mountains. Indian pipes are also found in the northern parts of South America. They are perennial wildflowers that lack chlorophyll, giving them a white or pinkish colour. They grow in small clusters on the forest floor, usually near dead stumps and beech trees, which provide the damp, cool soil they favour. They are often found in mature forests with moist, thick leaf cover and rich, moist soil with plenty of decaying leaves and other plant matter. They can also be found in both hardwood and mixed wood forests, up to elevations of about 4,000 feet.
Indian pipes are myco-heterotrophic, meaning they obtain their nutrients from an outside source—in this case, fungi. They are epiparasites, which are parasites that feed on other parasites. The roots of Indian pipes join with mycorrhizal fungi that are connected to tree roots. The fungi obtain food from the trees, while the trees benefit from an expanded absorption network. Indian pipes invade this network and parasitise the fungi, stealing carbon and other nutrients from them. This complicated, mutually beneficial process allows the plant to survive.
The relationship between Indian pipes and fungi is host and species-specific. The Monotropa uniflora species of Indian pipes forms a relationship with Russula and Lactarius species of fungi. Indian pipes are low-growing plants, usually about four to ten inches tall, although they can grow up to 12 inches tall. The entire plant is a translucent, "ghostly" white, sometimes with pale salmon pinkish coloration and black specks. The stem is thick and translucent, bearing a single flower that is white, turning purple and then black as the seeds ripen. The flowers are urn-shaped, nodding, and have four to six petals and no sepals. The leaves are small, scale-like, and flecked with black.
Indian pipes are sometimes misidentified as mushrooms due to their lack of chlorophyll and white or pinkish colour. They are also known as "corpse plants" due to their ghostly appearance. The genus name Monotropa means "one turn" in Greek, referring to the sharp curve of the top of the stem. The species name uniflora is Latin for "one-flowered," as each stem bears only one flower. Indian pipes have an important role in the ecosystem, and Native Americans have traditionally used the plant's sap to treat eye infections and other ailments.
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Indian pipes are myco-heterotrophic, getting nutrients from fungi
Indian pipes, also known as ghost plants, are flowering plants that lack chlorophyll and are therefore white or pinkish in colour. They are often mistaken for mushrooms. However, they are not photosynthetic and do not produce chlorophyll. Instead, they are myco-heterotrophic, meaning they obtain their nutrients from an external source—in this case, fungi.
Myco-heterotrophism in plants is more widespread than previously thought. Indian pipes are part of a diverse group of plants that rely on mycorrhizal fungi for their food supply. Mycorrhizal fungi are fungi that live symbiotically with trees and their roots. The fungi aid the tree in absorbing water and essential minerals, especially phosphorus. In return, the fungus obtains sugars from the tree. Indian pipes take advantage of this symbiosis by parasitizing the fungus and stealing sugars from it. This three-way relationship allows Indian pipes to ultimately obtain their nutrients from a photosynthetic plant through the means of a mycorrhizal fungus.
The specific type of fungus that Indian pipes parasitise is in the family Russulaceae, which includes brittlegills and milky caps. Indian pipes form a relationship with Russula and Lactarius species. The fungus is tricked into thinking it is forming a mycorrhizal relationship with the Indian pipe, but in reality, the Indian pipe is parasitising it. This is known as a source-sink relationship, where sugars flow from where they are made to where they are being used.
Indian pipes are perennial wildflowers found throughout the United States, except in certain regions like the southwest and the central Rocky Mountains. They are usually found in mature forests with moist, thick leaf cover and grow in small clusters on the forest floor. The plant is approximately 4-12 inches tall, with a white, scaly stem and urn-shaped flowers that are white, turning purple and then black as they ripen.
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They parasitise the fungi that live symbiotically with trees
Indian pipes, also known as ghost plants, are perennial wildflowers that lack chlorophyll, resulting in a white or pinkish colour. They are often mistaken for mushrooms. However, they are not fungi but plants. Indian pipes are mycoheterotrophic, meaning they obtain their nutrients from an external source, which in this case is fungi.
The relationship between Indian pipes and fungi is complex. The fungi that Indian pipes parasitise are mycorrhizal, meaning they live symbiotically with trees and their roots. This symbiosis is mutually beneficial, as the fungus receives food from the tree while expanding the tree's absorption network. Indian pipes take advantage of this relationship by parasitising the fungus and indirectly obtaining nourishment from the trees. This parasitic relationship is specific to the host and species, with Monotropa uniflora forming associations with Russula and Lactarius species.
The Indian pipe plant consists of a single stem ranging from 3 to 9 inches (7.5 to 23 cm) in height. The flowers are white, sometimes with a pinkish hue, and bell-shaped, arising singly on a white, scaly stem. The plant is pollinated by small bumblebees, and once pollinated, the flower creates a seed capsule that releases seeds into the wind. Indian pipes are typically found in mature forests with moist, thick leaf cover and are particularly associated with beech trees and damp, cool soil.
The complex relationship between Indian pipes, fungi, and trees highlights the intricate symbiotic interactions in nature. By parasitising mycorrhizal fungi, Indian pipes gain nourishment while disrupting the mutualistic relationship between the fungi and trees. This knowledge provides insights into the diverse strategies plants have evolved to survive and thrive in their ecosystems.
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Indian pipes are also called ghost plants or ghost flowers
Indian pipes, also called ghost plants or ghost flowers, are native woodland wildflowers that produce no chlorophyll. This is why they are white or pinkish-white in colour, instead of green. The plant is approximately 4-12 inches tall, with small, scale-like leaves and black flecks on the petals and sepals.
Indian pipes are mycoheterotrophic, meaning they get their nutrients from an outside source—in this case, fungi. They are parasitic plants that feed on certain fungi, trees, and decaying plant matter. The roots of the Indian pipe plant join with fungi that are connected to tree roots, allowing the plant to take nourishment from the trees. This complicated, mutually beneficial process allows the plant to survive.
Indian pipes are commonly found in mature forests with moist, thick leaf cover and near dead stumps and beech trees, which also prefer damp, cool soil. They are found in most temperate regions of the United States and the northern parts of South America. They are usually found growing in small clusters on the forest floor.
The name "ghost plant" or "ghost flower" refers to the plant's waxy, ghostly appearance. The plant has also been called the corpse plant and the ice plant, the latter because it is said to resemble frozen jelly and melt when handled.
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Frequently asked questions
Indian pipes, also known as ghost plants, are perennial wildflowers that lack chlorophyll and are therefore white or pinkish-white. They are often mistaken for mushrooms.
Indian pipes are mycoheterotrophic, meaning they get their nutrients from an outside source—in this case, fungi. They parasitise the fungi that live symbiotically with trees and their roots.
Indian pipes grow in mature forests with moist, thick leaf cover and well-drained soil. They are commonly found near dead stumps and beech trees, which also prefer damp, cool soil.
