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At the foot of moss-covered trees in the mountains of Taiwan and mainland Japan, as well as within the subtropical forests of Okinawa, an unusual organism emerges from the forest floor. It is often mistaken for a mushroom, yet it is actually a rare flowering plant that produces some of the smallest flowers and seeds known to science.
This plant, Balanophora, lacks chlorophyll and cannot carry out photosynthesis. It also has no true roots to draw water or nutrients from the soil. Instead, it survives by attaching itself to the roots of particular tree species and living entirely as a parasite. In some species and populations, seed production occurs without fertilization, a reproductive strategy that is exceptionally uncommon among plants.
