INDIAN PIPE

also called corpse plant, convulsion root, or fits root (Monotropa uniflora) nongreen herb, of the family Monotropaceae, that is saprophytic in habit; i.e., it lives upon the remains of dead plants. It occurs in Asia and throughout North America and is commonly found in moist, shady areas. The plant arises from a tangled mass of rootlets, grows 1525 cm (610 inches) tall, and is white, pinkish, or (rarely) red; if it dries out, it turns black. A single, odourless, drooping, cup-shaped flower with four or five petals is borne at the tip of the stalk. The leaves are represented only by small scales, and the fruit is an oval capsule.