Topic summary
Monotropa hypopitys

Monotropa hypopitys, syn.Hypopitys monotropa, also known as yellow bird's nest in Britain and Ireland, pinesap and false beechdrops in Canada and the United States, is a herbaceousperennial plant of the Monotropoideae subfamily of the family Ericaceae. It is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is scarce within its range. M. hypopitys is a mycotrophic plant which means it obtains nutrients and fixed carbon by parasitizing the mycorrhizal networks of trees. It lacks chlorophyll and does not photosynthesize. The species name, M. hypopitys, is from LatinizedGreek hypo-, "under", and pitys, "pine", referring to where it often grows.