Obolaria

Obolaria (Obolaria virginica) is a small plant that’s native to the eastern United States. The purplish green of some of its leaves helps the plant blend in with the leaf litter where it emerges. It spends much of the year underground emerging as the weather warms and the arrival of leaves overhead encourages it to return to its subterranean home.

A plant that is mycoheterotrophic, meaning it gets a large part of its nutrition from other plants’ fungal systems. This same thing takes place with some of our native orchids. Move one of those orchids to a new location and it is likely that it won’t survive since there won’t be the necessary fungal system to support it. The green of the Obolaria leaves indicates that the plant contains some chlorophyll in its leaves.

Have you seen it lately? Enjoy it while it’s there.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

2 thoughts on “Obolaria”

  2. Oh TOM! So wonderful to hear from you with your lovely message. What a frustrating time but finally success!

    We think of you guys often.

    Thanks BUNCHES for reading my posts!
    Bren

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