Corpse Flower
Going Green is not something Corpse Flowers do. Translucent white they look like a ghostly apparition on the shady forest floor so you can see why they are also known as Ghost Plants. On the other hand whoever named them Indian Pipes must have looked at them while standing on their head.
Monotropa uniflora

Lacking chlorophyll these plants can’t photosynthesize and have no real use for sunlight so they don’t mind the deep shade of the woods. They are myco-heterotroph – they get their nutrients and energy from mycorrhiza fungi (symbiotic between a fungus and the roots of a plant – in this case the trees) that it is parasitic upon.

If your wondering – I took these photos in the rain. I never did learn to get out of it.

If you see Corpse Plants you know you’re in a good place to hunt mushrooms since they prefer rich woods. These were found in Stone Valley, Town of Colton, NY where if you can ignore the attraction of the Raquette River and it’s numerous waterfalls you’ll find a wide range of woodland wildflowers and mushrooms. Here are a couple.

This section of the river is so powerful you don’t have to worry about drowning if you fall in. You’ll be bashed to death on the rocks long before you breath water.

To make matter worst there are a number of hydro dams that release water without warning so keeping out of the river bed is always a good idea.

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Back to the Corpse Flower.
‘Bloom’ time is June to September so keep your eyes out for ghosts when in the woods this summer. When they get old they turn black. Same if you pick one and let it dry. If your sweetheart is a zombie – this is the flower for them. |











