Mature Indian Pipe Flower

I have seen Indian Pipe at this stage of development, and photographed it here at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge…it was pinker last year…but somehow I never looked inside the blossom. Indian Pipe begins well drooped over on its stalk and only goes erect as the blossom matures. Inside, as you can see, are all the flower parts. I think these are actually beginning to form seeds.

Indian Pipe is often thought of as fungus…deriving nutrients from decomposing plant matter…but it is actually a fungal symbiont, taking its nutrients from the fungus it is associated with. Generally symbiont provide sugars from photosynthesis in exchange for the minerals they get from the fungus, but the Indian Pipe actually robs the fungus of sugars it got from another symbiont in exchange for minerals. More  parasite that symbiont, when you come right down to it.

This shot was taken right down to it too…using the flip out LCD on the H50 at ground level.

Sony DSC H50 at full wide and macro. F3.2 @ 1/40th @ ISO 200. Programed auto.

In Lightroom, cropped a bit for a tighter view. Mild Recovery for the white of the flower. Blackpoint to the right. Added Clarity and Vibrance, and Landscape sharpen.

This is a view of a pair of fully mature flowers from straight above.

Indian Pipe from Straight Up