The genus ''Pholisma'' (Nutt. ex Hook.) consists of three species of desert-dwelling, primarily subterranean plants. ''Pholisma'' belongs to the family

Boraginaceae Boraginaceae, the Borago, borage or forget-me-not family, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs in 146 to 154 genus, genera with a worldwide distribution. The APG IV system from 2016 classifies the Boraginaceae as single famil ...

. Most notable of the genus is '' Pholisma sonorae'', native to the

southwestern United States The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural list of regions of the United States, region of the United States that includes Arizona and New Mexico, along with adjacen ...

and

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. The species is without

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 ...

and lives as a

parasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...

on the roots of a number of desert species. Other species include '' Pholisma arenarium'', the "desert Christmas tree", and '' Pholisma culiacana''.

References

External links

The Botanical Society of AmericaJepson Manual Treatment
Parasitic plants Boraginaceae genera Flora of Northern America {{Boraginaceae-stub