unknown fungus?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by allelopath, Sep 9, 2005.

  1. allelopath

    allelopath Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Anyone know what this is?
    I think it's a fungus, but even then, i'm not so sure.

    Under a spruce, in northern New Mexico, USA in the Sangre de Cristo mountains about 10,000 ft asl
     

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  2. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Looks like a Monotropaceae, amazing plants -- flowering saprophytes - no chlorophyll.
     
  3. allelopath

    allelopath Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    indian pipe

    Thanks. After a bit of googling on words you supplied, this might be commonly called an "Indian Pipe".

    So a sarprophtye is a plant that grows on and derives its nourishment from dead or decaying organic matter. Apparently there are plants other than fungi that do this (like this one). In trying to determine if this plant was a fungi, I carefully dug around and saw what could be described as mycellium.
    Even so, i guess this plant is not a fungi, but has mycorrhizal connections to allow the photosynthetic product of other plants.
     

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