Today was a good day; sunshine, no fog and light winds. This is the day we did the Fundy Ridge trail, 5,.4 kilometres and a 160 metre (500 foot) vertical ascent. It was much harder than it appears.

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Bald Eagle on the Beach Near the Ascent Point to the Fundy Ridge

Bald Eagle 400

Blind Photograph of Blue-headed Vireo

Blue-headed Vireo 100

Canada Hawkweed on the Trail

Canada Hawkweed 300

Cape d'Or Photograph Taken Later This Day

Cape d'Or 200

Eastern Bluebirds are Getting More Wary, Perhaps a Sign of Good Things to Come

Eastern Bluebird 900 Eastern Bluebird 901 Eastern Bluebird 902

Eastern Toad on Fundy Ridge

Eastern Toad 100

Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not 100 Forget Me Not 101

Photos in Order of Our Trek to the Fundy Ridge

Fundy Ridge Trail 100 Fundy Ridge Trail 101 Fundy Ridge Trail 102 Fundy Ridge Trail 103 Fundy Ridge Trail 104 Fundy Ridge Trail 105 Fundy Ridge Trail 106 Fundy Ridge Trail 107 Fundy Ridge Trail 108 Fundy Ridge Trail 109 Fundy Ridge Trail 110 Fundy Ridge Trail 111 Fundy Ridge Trail 112 Fundy Ridge Trail 113 Fundy Ridge Trail 114 Fundy Ridge Trail 115 Fundy Ridge Trail 116 Fundy Ridge Trail 117 Fundy Ridge Trail 118 Fundy Ridge Trail 119 Fundy Ridge Trail 120 Fundy Ridge Trail 121 Fundy Ridge Trail 122 Fundy Ridge Trail 123 Fundy Ridge Trail 124 Fundy Ridge Trail 125 Fundy Ridge Trail 126 Fundy Ridge Trail 127 Fungus 100 Fungus 101

Indian Pipe, an Unusual Plant that has no Chlorophyll

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Monotropa uniflora

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For other plants known as "ghosts", see Ghost plant.

Monotropa uniflora
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ericaceae
Genus:	Monotropa
Species:	M. uniflora
Binomial name
Monotropa uniflora L.

Monotropa uniflora, also known as ghost plant, ghost pipe or Indian pipe, is an herbaceous perennial plant native to temperate regions of Asia, North America and northern South America, but with large gaps between areas.^[1][2] The plant is sometimes completely waxy white, but often has black flecks or pale pink coloration.^[3] Rare variants may have a deep red color.

Taxonomy and background

It was formerly classified in the family Monotropaceae, but is now included within the Ericaceae. It is of ephemeral occurrence, depending on the right conditions (moisture after a dry period) to appear full grown within a couple of days.

Unlike most plants, it is white and does not contain chlorophyll.^[4] Instead of generating energy from sunlight, it is parasitic, and more specifically a mycoheterotroph. Its hosts are certain fungi^[4] 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. It is often associated with beech trees.^[5] The complex relationship that allows this plant to grow also makes propagation difficult.

Like most mycoheterotrophic plants, M. uniflora associates with a small range of fungal hosts, all of them members of Russulaceae.^[6]

Description

The stems reach heights of 5–30 centimetres (2.0–11.8 in), sheathed with highly reduced leaves 5–10 millimetres (0.20–0.39 in) long, best identified as scales or bracts. These structures are small, thin, and translucent; they do not have petioles but instead extend in a sheath-like manner out of the stem.

As its scientific name suggests, and unlike the related Monotropa hypopitys (but like the close relation Monotropastrum humile), the stems bear a single flower 10–20 millimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long, with 3–8 translucent petals, 10–12 stamens and a single pistil.^{[7][8][9][10]} It flowers from early summer to early autumn, often a few days after rainfall. The fruit, an oval capsule-like structure, enlarges and becomes upright when the seeds mature, at this point stem and capsule looking desiccated and dark brown or black.

The seeds of M. uniflora are small, ranging between 0.6-0.8 mm in length.^[11]

Ecology

The flowers of M. uniflora are visited by various bee and fly species, most commonly bumblebees.^[12] Bumblebees are an important pollen dispersal agent for the plant.

Genetics

Monotropa uniflora is found in three general distribution areas: Asia, North America, and Central and northern South America. DNA analysis has shown that these three populations are genetically distinct from one another.^[1] Furthermore, the North American population and the Central/South American population appear to be more closely related to each other than either are related to the Asian population.

M. uniflora has 48 chromosomes.^[13]

Usage

The plant has been used as a nervine in herbal medicine since the late nineteenth century.^[14]

Gallery

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Indian Pipe on Fundy Ridge

Indian Pipe 100 Indian Pipe 101 Indian Pipe 102

Late Day Clouds

Late Day Cloud 100 Late Day Cloud 101 Late Day Cloud 102

Least Sandpiper, Our First Shorebirds

The peeps, Least Sandpiper and Semipalmated Plover will arrive on mass the third week of July

Least Sandpiper 100

Raven

Raven 300

Red Hawkweed

Red Hawkweed 200

European Starling

This amazing bird is more a kin to humans than other bird species; intelligent, gregarious, aggressive, devoted to their young and highly adaptable.

Starlings Flying 100

White-winged Crossbills

They are everywhere now and I still have not used my big telephoto-wait for it.

White-winged Crossbill 200

Yellow Warbler

Yellow Warbler 300 Yellow Warbler 301