Pholisma sonorae

Plant: Annual or perennial root parasites; STEMS 0.5-1.5 m long, 0.5-2 cm in diameter, fleshy, underground, white or brownish Leaves: scale-like, spirally arranged, linear INFLORESCENCE: concave, flattened heads Flowers: with calyx lobes linear, long-tapered, feathery-pubescent with gland-tipped hairs 1-1.5 mm long; corolla pink to purple, the margin white, exterior glabrous; locules of ovary Fruit: FRUITS capsules with irregularly circumscissile dehiscence, covered by the persistent perianth. SEEDS 1 per locule, in a ring, more-or-less kidney-shaped, flat, brown Misc: dunes and sandy areas; 50-150 m (100-450 ft); Mar.-Jun Notes: lacks chlorophyll; tends to parasitize roots of Eriogonum deserticola (Polygonaceae), Tiquilia palmeri and T. plicata (Boraginaceae), Ambrosia dumosa, and Pluchea sericea (Compositae) REFERENCES: Yatskievych. George. 1994. Lennoaceae. J. Ariz. - Nev. Acad. Sci. Volume 27(2), 220-221.