Photo of the Day: Dragonfly, Minnesota

Photo of the Day: Sheep in Pasture, Minnesota

Photo of the Day: Broad-winged Hawk, Minnesota

Photo of the Day: Ghost Pipe, Minnesota

Monotropa uniflora, also known as ghost plant (or ghost pipe), Indian pipe or corpse plant, is an herbaceous perennial plant native to temperate regions of Asia, North America and northern South America, but with large gaps between areas. The plant is sometimes completely waxy white, but often has black flecks or pale pink coloration.

Unlike most plants, it is white and does not contain chlorophyll. Instead of generating energy from sunlight, it is parasitic, and more specifically a mycoheterotroph. Its hosts are certain fungi that are mycorrhizal with trees, meaning it ultimately gets its energy from photosynthetic trees. Since it is not dependent on sunlight to grow, it can grow in very dark environments as in the understory of dense forest.

Photo of the Day: Grasshopper Eating Dahlia, Minnesota