Compound Setae of a Sea Spider: An Adaptation for Grooming
Category: Plants, Algae, & Fungi
Three flowering stems of the Vancouver groundcone (Kopsiopsis hookeri) on a hot and sunny day. Groundcones are parasitic plants that depend entirely on their hosts (in this case, a salal bush) for water and other nutrients. As parasites, they have forgone photosynthesis entirely and no longer produce chlorophyll, which gives "regular" plants their green colour. This species is native to western North America and likes to grow in coastal forested areas. In the field, it's easy to mistake these plants for upright pinecones (hence the name 'groundcone')!
