Indian Pipe

"Indian Pipe" (Monotropa uniflora) is one of a few wildflowers which lacks chlorophyll. It obtains its nutrients from decaying plant materials on the damp, forest floor, a life style referred to as saprophytic. Leaves are reduced to scales along the stem, and the flowers are single. It has also been referred to as the "ghost plant" since its white appearance stands out in the shaded woods. The flowers turn upright after pollination, and the whole plant turns dark as it matures and the seeds mature.

It is said that Native americans used the sap of this curious plant as a remedy for inflammations of the eye.

Reference: Wildflowers of Pennsylvania - Haywood and Monk, 2001, Botanical Society of Western Pennsylvania.

E-mail Today's WPC Daily to a Friend!

Sign Up for WPC Daily