British Columbia is home to a number of spectacular broomrapes like naked broomrape (Aphyllon uniflorum). These beautiful parasitic plants are easy to miss because of their size. However, once you know what to look for they can be found regularly. Understanding the connection between the parasite and the host plant is an important factor in locating and identifying different species …
Parasite
Vancouver Groundcone
Vancouver groundcone (Boschniakia hookeri) is an unusual saprophyte that grows in coastal British Columbia. It is found in association with salal (Gaultheria shallon) and kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) which it is parasitic on. Like the common name suggests, this parasitic herb looks like a weird cone growing out of the ground. Vancouver groundcone comes in a range of colours from pale …