This “Mushroom” Isn’t a Fungus at All – It’s One of the Strangest Plants on Earth A plant that looks like a fungus, lives like a parasite, and clones itself in the dark—Balanophora may be one of evolution’s strangest experiments.

This mushroom, one of the strangest of plants, isn't a fungus at all [via OIST] 🧪🥼🌱🚫🍄

"it survives by attaching itself to the roots of particular tree species and living entirely as a parasite."

scitechdaily.com/this-mushroo...

#plant #Balanophora #parasitic #clone

Parasitic plants are a unique (parasitic!!) and diverse (>4,500 species!!) group of plants that are ecologically important...but understudied.

Our three year study found that a rare parasitic plant in #Taiwan is an annual, not perennial.
#Balanophora

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Balanophora fungosa
Mossman Gorge,
Far North Queensland,
Australia.
July 2023
#Balanophora