2024 Photograph, Beechdrops after Flowering (Epifagus americana, Broomrape Family, Orobanchaceae), Fairfax Villa Park, Fairfax, Virginia, © 2024.
These achlorophyllous (lacking chlorophyll) plants get their nourishment by parasitizing the roots of Beech Trees. The lower flowers are cleistogamous (never opening and self-pollinating) while the upper flowers have a distinct corolla. This enables the plant to hedge its bets by insuring that there will be a next generation from the cleistogamous flowers while also enjoying the benefits of cross-pollination through the upper flowers should conditions be adequate for them to form and set their seeds. |
