Illustration of Indian pipe
Indian pipe
noun
: a white, waxy perennial herb (Monotropa uniflora of the family Ericaceae, the heath family) of Asia and North America that lacks chlorophyll, has leaves reduced to scales and a stem terminated by a single bell-shaped flower, and turns black following seed maturation
Note: The roots of the Indian pipe contain mycorrhizal fungi from which it acquires nutrients which the fungi's mycelium has obtained by invading the roots of nearby trees (such as beech and pine).
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Soni soon got a call from an Indian pipe fitter.
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Sarah Stillman, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2021
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Sarah Stillman, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2021
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“Indian pipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Indian%20pipe. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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