Hooker's groundcone - next to a real cone (probably from a hemlock)

These strike me as being particularly rare - in all my wanderings I've only found them in one place - really in one very small area of one place... the location of these is generally hidden on the local plant website, though their status is listed as "under review". This is an easily accessed and quite public place though, and the park even notes their presence in their interpretive materials, so I don't feel like I should keep this a secret, at least not here.
All of the specimens that I've seen here are yellow - though these can be purple as well.

comments (3)

gary fast

Lion

Hello “morphene”, I believe the “real cone” may be last year’s groundcone. I shall have to check around in this area. I have seen last year’s plant but didn’t have a camera with me. Great shot of an interesting plant. Gary Posted 6 years ago, modified 6 years ago
1. morpheme
  
  Lion
  
  ha - indeed there is also an old ground cone there - nestled between the two is a small hemlock cone - it's upside down with the pointy end facing the ground. Ground cones are very rare around here. I've seen our other rare parasitic plant - gnome plant in a few places, but I've still only ever found ground cone in this one particular park. It is a rare bit of seaside old growth, save from the ax because it was home to a small artillery battery looking out over the entrance to the sound. Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. gary fast
    
    Lion
    
    They are, indeed, interesting plants and always a great find. On our property they are much more numerous and more noticeable than in past years. Posted 6 years ago

The Vancouver groundcone

''Boschniakia hookeri'' is a species of parasitic plant in the broomrape family known by the common names Vancouver groundcone and small groundcone. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to northern California, where it grows in wooded areas.

Info 8 0

Similar species: Lamiales

Species identified by morpheme