Question: I found these growing in my backyard in pine-needles. Are they some kind of mushroom? These are growing in Salem …
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Question
I found these growing in my backyard in pine-needles. Are they some kind of mushroom? These are growing in Salem , Massachusetts
Answer
Dear Johnny, the plants that you are photographing are Monotropa uniflora (one-flowered Indian-pipe). It is a non-photosynthetic plant that utilizes a fungus to acquire its food. These are native species that are in the Ericaceae (the health family, along with blueberry, huckleberry, and cranberry).
