The rather peculiar flower toothwort (lathrarea squamaria) is coming up in Duncombe Wood. They are parasitic on the roots of trees, usually hazel, feeding on their sap. However they must not take too much or the tree will die. They are also known by their county name of ‘corpse flower’ in the belief that such a ghostly plant could only grow from a buried corpse. In fact they do not need any chlorophyll as they are using the sap from their host.
Categories: Signs of Spring
