 Yakkoso  Yuwan-Tsuchitorimochi |
【 PLANTS WITHOUT CHLOROPHYL 】
* Plants without chlorophyl don't photosynthesize
organic matter. Instead, they get their necessary nutrition parasitically from
their host plants or leaf mold. This time, I would like to introduce three of
them. They are Yakkoso, Yuwan-Tsuchitorimochi and Ginryoso.
Yakkoso
(Botanical name: Mitrastemon
yamamotoi)
Yakkoso is a perenial parasite plant that lives on the roots of Japanese
Chinquapin trees. In December, it develops a milky white scape to the length
of three to seven centimeters. Its native areas are Kyushu, Shikoku, Amami and Okinawa.
Yuwan-Tsuchitorimochi
(Botanical name: Balanophora
yuwanensis)
This species, which is also a parasite plant, is
indigenous to Amami. The flowers can be seen only around the top of
Mt.Yuwandake, Uken Village. Mostly, roots of Iju (cf. June 2008) play host to
them. They bear red globular flowers from December to January.
Ginryoso
(Botanical name: Monotropastrum
humile)
This is a perenial saprophyte that
grows on leaf mold in the forest. In April, white lanky scapes sprout from under
dead leaves, with a gooseneck flower on top. They are also called Yureitake
("ghost fungus"). They can be seen throughout Japan.
|
|
| |
