''Hemitomes'' is a monotypic genus of plants containing the single species ''Hemitomes congestum'', which is known as gnome plant and cone plant. This rare and unusual plant is native to the west coast of North America from

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, where it grows in dense, dark forests such as the

redwood Sequoioideae, commonly referred to as redwoods, is a subfamily of Pinophyta, coniferous trees within the family (biology), family Cupressaceae, that range in the Northern Hemisphere, northern hemisphere. It includes the List of superlative tree ...

and

Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is the tallest tree in the Pinaceae family. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Or ...

forests of the region. This is small, fleshy, stemless perennial plant forming lumps in the

leaf litter Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall, or duff) is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that has fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituen ...

. It is white, yellowish, or reddish-pink in color, like Monotropa and other close relatives, little is known about the life cycle of the plant due to its rarity, but it probably obtains its nutrients by parasitizing

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

, that are part of the Russulaceae, in a similar manner to the rest of its tribe of the Monotropeae, so it lacks the green of

chlorophyll Chlorophyll is any of several related green pigments found in cyanobacteria and in the chloroplasts of algae and plants. Its name is derived from the Greek words (, "pale green") and (, "leaf"). Chlorophyll allows plants to absorb energy ...

.Botanical Society of America: Parasitic Plants
/ref> It grows from a

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...

with fragile roots and its form is covered in sparse scales which are the rudimentary leaves. An

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

emerges on a thick stalk from the soil bearing solitary to densely bunched flowers. The flowers have ragged yellowish or pinkish petals and contain hairs and large rounded yellow stigmas. The fruit is a fleshy white

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples of berries in the cul ...

Distribution

The native range of this species is British Columbia to California. It is a holomycotrophic perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Description

''Hemitomes congestum'' is a chlorophyll-less, myco-heterotrophic herb. Its roots are fibrous; the shoot and inflorescence axis that sprouts from them is upright and creamy white to reddish. The leaves are simple, and bracteoles are absent. The roots are thin and white. The inflorescence is one to multiple flowers; branching is possible. The flowers are four, rarely up to sixfold. The crown is tubular to bell-shaped, the petals are fused together. The stamens are about two-thirds as long as the crown, the anthers do not turn and are slotted lengthwise. The stylus is permanent, the stigma widened. The ovary is eightfold and has parietal placentation. The fruit is berry-like, the seeds are elliptical and thick-skinned.

References

External links

''Hemitomes congestum''
at th
''Encyclopedia of Life''''Hemitomes congestum''
at th
''US Forest Service''''Hemitomes congestum''
at the onlin
''Flora of North America''''Hemitomes congestum''
photos a
''CalPhotos''
by the University of California, Berkeley
''Hemitomes congestum''
at the online ''Jepson Manual - Vascular Plants of California (1993)''
''Hemitomes congestum''
USDA Plants Profile Monotropoideae Monotypic Ericaceae genera Flora of Northern America {{Ericaceae-stub