Discussion
Anyhow, more nature! This is an orobanche, common name broomrape. The brown appearance makes it look almost dead: in actual fact it's alive and healthy, just without any green on the stem. Or any leaves either. No chlorophyll at all.
Given that's how plants make food, that might be a problem, but not for the orobanche! They're parasitic: their roots tap into those of other plants and steal their nutrients to grow these slightly alien-looking flowers with.
Another plant I found on the same walk with a similar strategy: dodder, characterised by these coloured hair like strands that loop over the thing it's parasitising. Dodders and orobanches tend to specialise on particular hosts: I guess these ones are probably grass specialists of some kind.
We're used to thinking about parasitic animals, but less so with plants I think. It's an interesting nature niche.
@JubalBarca Orchids get all the attention.
@JubalBarca Recently saw this same or similar parasitic plant photographed by @hopeward here:
https://beige.party/@hopeward@sunny.garden/116630674156221810
@photovotary @hopeward Yeah, that looks like a dodder (there's a couple hundred species worldwide apparently so probably not the same down to species level!)
Install bonfire.cafe
Get the full app experience
