Here is an interesting little mystery. Seen this week in Shenandoah
National Park, in a thicket of mountain laurel and chestnut oaks.
The plant is about 1.5 to 2 inches tall:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom1.jpg

Each little closed "flower" appears to be 5 sepals, enclosing a
small (quarter inch long or smaller) flower of 5 petals, fused
to form a tube for the lower half of the length of the petals:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom4.jpg

Inside the flower are 10 stamens and the pistil.

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom5.jpg

Here is another picture inside the flower:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom2.jpg

I am completely stumped on this one. I thought it might be in
the broomrape family at first, but that was easy to eliminate,
since there are few of those. I would be very grateful for any
ideas about species or genus or family -- TIA!

-David Cox

David Hamilton Cox wrote:

Here is an interesting little mystery. Seen this week in Shenandoah
National Park, in a thicket of mountain laurel and chestnut oaks.
The plant is about 1.5 to 2 inches tall:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom1.jpg

Was there any green on the plant at all? This resembles a bit some of
the parasitic Orobanche we get down here. Might also look about in
the Monotropas and other non-chlorophyllous things.

M. Reed

Looks like a gentian. The bottle gentian that I have seen (G. andrewsii) is
much taller, but I would check out that genus.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

Monotropsis odorata

http://www.gsrcorp.com/tes/MOOD2/mood_text.html

http://www.gsrcorp.com/tes/rare_plants.html



"David Hamilton Cox" wrote in message
...
Here is an interesting little mystery. Seen this week in Shenandoah
National Park, in a thicket of mountain laurel and chestnut oaks.
The plant is about 1.5 to 2 inches tall:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom1.jpg

Each little closed "flower" appears to be 5 sepals, enclosing a
small (quarter inch long or smaller) flower of 5 petals, fused
to form a tube for the lower half of the length of the petals:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom4.jpg

Inside the flower are 10 stamens and the pistil.

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom5.jpg

Here is another picture inside the flower:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom2.jpg

I am completely stumped on this one. I thought it might be in
the broomrape family at first, but that was easy to eliminate,
since there are few of those. I would be very grateful for any
ideas about species or genus or family -- TIA!

-David Cox

Newsgroups: sci.bio.botany
Subject: Another Flower ID Request (Virginia)
Summary:
Expires:
Sender:
Followup-To:
Distribution:
Organization: Nyx Net, Free Internet access (www.nyx.net)
Keywords:
Cc:

Yes, it is indeed Monotropsis odorata. In fact, the "Manual of the
Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" mentions an M. odorata var. lehmaniae,
which flowering period (Sept-Nov) and lack of odor matches up to
the specimen I found. Thanks for the help! I feel a little chagrined
that I didn't think to check the Monotropa, or rather thought of it
and didn't pursue it (the Monotropsis appears right after the
Monotropa in the reference mentioned above). The lack of green on
the plant should have encouraged me to check that out. Oh well.

Thanks again!

-David Cox

Similarity between this species and the European Lathraea squamaria is striking!

http://www.gartendatenbank.de/pflanzen/lathraea/004.htm

http://www.grzyby.pl/rosliny/gatunki..._squamaria.htm

(David Hamilton Cox) wrote in message ...
Newsgroups: sci.bio.botany
Subject: Another Flower ID Request (Virginia)
Summary:
Expires:
Sender:
Followup-To:
Distribution:
Organization: Nyx Net, Free Internet access (www.nyx.net)
Keywords:
Cc:

Yes, it is indeed Monotropsis odorata. In fact, the "Manual of the
Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" mentions an M. odorata var. lehmaniae,
which flowering period (Sept-Nov) and lack of odor matches up to
the specimen I found. Thanks for the help! I feel a little chagrined
that I didn't think to check the Monotropa, or rather thought of it
and didn't pursue it (the Monotropsis appears right after the
Monotropa in the reference mentioned above). The lack of green on
the plant should have encouraged me to check that out. Oh well.

Thanks again!

-David Cox