New Mystery....Solved!

A new plant was discovered by your roving wildflower reporter, here in Cloudcroft.  This one was found in the woods behind the Lanes' home.

Is this a fungus? Some wierd pine sprout?  When I showed it to Wilma, she laughed and said she would show me some more in her "flower garden."  Now her garden is terraced steps into the hill between the house and the road that kind of form a retaining wall, but it is still all part of the forest floor environment.  She had these all over!

The darker color is last year's growth, and the new growth is yellowish buds.

She wasn't sure what it was, but it looked similar to something in her flower book called "Squawroot." The only problem was that it doesn't grow in the west.  I noticed that it was in the Orobanche family and similar to other Broomrapes that are saprophytic--they don't have chlorophyll; they get their nourishment from other plant roots in the soil.

Wait--this just in from my research department!   It has been identified!  This little wonder is known as Mexican Cancer-root, or Conopholis mexicana.  Thanks Lynn!!  Isn't she amazing!

Sometimes this is referred to as Ground Cone.  Last year's stalks blend right into the forest floor, looking like little pinecones.  The newer growth comes out in yellow buds that are a little more noticeable.  Here are a few more of this solved mystery.

new growth pushing up through the ground

Lynn also identified a previous mystery from our trip down here.  It's a gourd with blade-like leaves that grows all over New Mexico.  It's called Buffalo Gourd, or Cucurbita feotidissima.  I saw some really pretty ones today on an outing.

I am so fortunate to have such a capable research assistant to back up my finds!  :-)