Ghost Flower (Monotropa uniflora) is a fleshy saprophytic perennial in the heath family.    Other common names include Indian-pipe, corpse plant and ice plant.   It has no green leaves, does not produce chlorophyl, and can’t photosynthesize.  It takes its food from decaying material on the forest floor.

Fleshy white stems may be whitish-pinkish at first but turn white, then black.    Scaly bracts cover the stems.   A single nodding or curving bell-shaped flower tops each stem.  Bees and flies pollinate the flowers.

After flowering brown capsules form and the seeds are dispersed by fall.   The plants are ephemeral, appearing for a short period in late summer.

Ghost flowers are most often found in mature forests.    In our area, we have spotted them in Wells Gray Park  and in shaded mature forests in deeper valleys (Paul Lake, Heffley Lake, etc.).

Shared here is a gallery of images of ghost flowers I have spotted while hiking in our wider hiking area.

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Other members of the heath family that are saprophytic are pinedrops (Pterospora andromedea) and pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa)  (spotted in similar areas).

DAS