This “Mushroom” Isn’t a Fungus at All – It’s One of the Strangest Plants on Earth

A new study maps the unusual genomes of Asia-Pacific Balanophora species, offering new insights into the evolution of parasitic plants and revealing an unconventional role for plastids. 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 [...]