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Re: Fungi, cacti, martians or venusians?
Mystery solved. This goes by various names, most commonly, Mexican cancer root or Mexican squawroot. The scientific name is given variously as Conopholis mexicana, Conopholis alpina Liebm. var. mexicana, and others. A closely related species that is found in the eastern U.S. is known as American squawroot and is classified as Conopholis americana.
Anyway, this is a rather strange life form classified as a plant, though it does not engage in photosynthesis. It is a parasitic, flowering plant that lives off of the roots of other plants and trees, often oak trees and junipers. Seems like a hybrid between a fungus and a plant to me.
Many thanks to David Biere, NPS, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, for enlightening me about this.
JohnK
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