# woodland pinedrops (*Pterospora andromedea*) Woodland pinedrops are unique plants that grow in shady forests. They don't have green leaves because they get their food from the trees around them instead of the sun. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 14 - **Habitat:** Forests ![woodland pinedrops](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Pterospora_andromedea_0472.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pterospora_andromedea_0472.JPG) ## Appearance The woodland pinedrops is a strange, leafless plant with a thick, reddish-brown or yellowish stalk emerging from the forest floor. It has many small, bell-shaped, whitish-pink flowers that hang downwards, making it look unique among green forest plants. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Ericaceae - **Genus:** Pterospora ## Interesting facts - It relies on specific underground fungi that also grow connected to pine trees! - It spends most of its life hidden underground, only sending up a stalk to flower! - This plant is named for its droopy flowers that look like tiny bells! - Unlike most plants, pinedrops don't have green leaves because they don't photosynthesize! ## Special abilities - **Fungal Feeder:** Woodland pinedrops can grow without sunlight by secretly 'feeding' on fungi that live near pine roots, instead of making its own food. - **Invisible Network:** Woodland pinedrops has special root structures that connect to underground fungal networks, helping it absorb nutrients from its hidden host. - **Tiny Traveler:** Woodland pinedrops has incredibly tiny, dust-like seeds that can be carried long distances by wind, helping it spread to new forest homes. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-0.8 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Parasitizes:** Wine-cap Rhizopogon (*Rhizopogon vinicolor*) — steals nutrients from this underground fungus - **Pollinates:** American Bumblebee (*Bombus pensylvanicus*) — attracts bumblebees to help spread its pollen - **Depends on:** Ponderosa Pine (*Pinus ponderosa*) — indirectly relies on this tree's relationship with fungi ## Traits - [Mycorrhizal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mycorrhizal): This trait describes a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and the roots of a plant, benefiting both organisms. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Pendulous Form](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pendulous-form): Describing a plant or anatomical structure that droops or hangs downwards. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Parasitic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/parasitic): This trait describes organisms that live on or in a host organism, obtaining nutrients at the host's expense. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not touch or eat wild plants without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify woodland pinedrops? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is woodland pinedrops? 10-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on woodland pinedrops? 0.5-0.8 cm ### When does woodland pinedrops bloom? Summer ### Is woodland pinedrops edible? No ### Is woodland pinedrops toxic? None ### What is woodland pinedrops's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is woodland pinedrops pollinated? Insect ## Where to spot - [Jackson Lake Lodge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jackson-lake-lodge) — Wyoming, US · Historic Site - [Polebridge Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/polebridge-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Sherburne Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sherburne-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [AMK Ranch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/amk-ranch) — Wyoming, US · Historic Site - [D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/d-c-booth-historic-national-fish-hatchery) — South Dakota, US · Aquarium - [Headquarters Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/headquarters-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District [View all places to see woodland pinedrops](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/woodland-pinedrops) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Woodland Pinedrops: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/woodland-pinedrops)