| Epifagus americana | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Orobanchaceae |
| Genus: | Epifagus |
| Species: | E. americana |
| Binomial name | |
| Epifagus americana Nutt. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
Common names; Beech drops, Beech-drops, Beechdrops
Epifagus americana is a parasitic plant which grows on the roots of beeches.
Beechdrops lack both leaves and chlorophyll, they only have small pinkish flowers that are hard to distinguish from the rest of the plant.[1] The flowers can be either cleistogamous or chasmogamous, while the chasmogamous flowers are located near the tips of the stems the cleistogamous flowers are located closer to the stems base.
In the northern hemisphere it flowers between August and October. It is a parasitic plant and must be located near its host which is the Beech Tree.