Gnomes and Lobsters in the Forest (more parasites!)

It appears to be the Time of the Parasitic Plants right now (cue ominous music!). 

Recently I wrote about ghost pipe at Tiger Mountain. On a foggy morning a few days later we hiked up the Denny Creek Trail (in the Cascades east of Seattle) and had the good luck of encountering perhaps the rarest mycoheterotroph (a plant that parasitizes fungus). Gnome plant (Hemitomes congestum) barely pushes its cluster of adorable flowers above the ground. Sometimes the flower cluster is elevated a little on a thick, pillar-like stem. Like ghost pipe, gnome plant taps into fungal mycelium underground and steals nutrients, instead of photosynthesizing like an honest plant. Gnome plant does have the advantage of being pretty darn cute, though.

Gnome plant
Gnome Plant

Thinking about parasitic plants led me down a bit of an internet rabbit hole about whether plants can ever parasitize animals (or people!). I can certainly imagine it: a tiny moss, perhaps, growing deep within an animal's fur, sending little rootlets down into the skin . . .  (Unfortunately, once I imagine it, I can't un-think it). 

Luckily, it looks like  plants pose no immediate danger to humans, but there were some interesting examples of plants possibly parasitizing animals on the interwebs. The most ominous was the Pisonia tree of Indo-Pacific islands, which has seeds that can stick to a bird's feathers. The birds can get weighed down so much by the seeds that they can't fly and die. The plant gets its seeds dispersed, and possibly some fertilizer for those seeds from the bird's body. 

We humans, however, are not at risk from anything sending its roots into us for nourishment, as far as we know. You can safely be amazed by the plant parasites of the world, but just in case, try to show no fear as you interact with them.

Watch out for fungi, though. Some fungi can attack humans - just think of athlete's foot or the confusingly-named ringworm (not actually caused by worms, but by a fungus). Fungi also sometimes parasitizes other fungi, as in the lobster mushroom. We found this lobster mushroom just a day or two ago on yet another hike on Tiger Mountain just east of Seattle.

Lobster mushroom
Lobster mushroom

Lobster mushrooms occur when a specific mold (Hypomyces latifluorum) attacks a mushroom, usually a milk cap or Russula. The mold causes the perfectly ordinary-looking mushroom to turn orange and convoluted, develop a meaty texture and a fishy odor and taste. The taste and texture inspire some people to devour them. We left this one in peace. Better to not do anything that might provoke it . . .

Bonus: Here's an article by Robert Macfarlane interviewing Merlin Sheldrake about the wood wide web, with a bit about how parasitic plants hack it. Two British natural history rock stars in conversation! (it may be paywalled)

Some sources that were helpful:

Gnome plant 

Pisonia trees 

Lobster mushrooms

Location: Denny Creek Trail, Washington 98045, USA

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