Q. for Wild plant experts--What is it?

[DonTom]

I went on a short hike in Galena Park, NV today, near Mt. Rose. Eastern Sierra, between Carson City and Reno. Elevation is around 6,500 feet. I saw a red plant I never saw anywhere before. Only one on the entire hike of a few miles. It is around a foot high. What is it?

 

[LarsMac]

Plant.id - Plant identification app

Plant.id is a free plant identification service based on machine learning. Take a photo, upload it, and instantly get a name and information about your plant.

www.plant.id

Common names​

Sarcodes
snow plant
snow flower

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Description​

Sarcodes is the monotypic genus of a north-west American flowering springtime plant in the heath family (Ericaceae), containing the single species Sarcodes sanguinea, commonly called the snow plant or snow flower. It is a parasitic plant that derives sustenance and nutrients from mycorrhizal fungi that attach to tree roots. Lacking chlorophyll, it is unable to photosynthesize. Ectomycorrhizal (EM) symbioses involve a mutualism between a plant root and a fungus; the plant provides fixed carbon to the fungus and in return, the fungus provides mineral nutrients, water and protection from pathogens to the plant. The snow plant takes advantage of this mutualism by tapping into the network and stealing sugars from the photosynthetic partner by way of the fungus. This is known as mycoheterotrophy. The snow plant is host-specific and can only form relationships with the ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycete Rhizopogon ellenae. The plant's aboveground tissue is its inflorescence, a raceme of bright scarlet red flowers wrapped in many strap-like, pointed bracts with fringed edges, themselves bright red to orange in color. Sarcodes sanguinea is native to montane areas of the California Floristic Province, from the Oregon Cascade Range (as far north as the Umpqua River), through the mountains of California including the Transverse Ranges (though it is absent from the California Coast Ranges between the Klamath Mountains), and into the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir range of northern Baja California. Its species epithet sanguinea refers to the striking red flower that emerges from the sometimes still snow-covered ground in early spring or summer; this may be as late as July in high elevations, such as those of the High Sierra Nevada and Cascades.
CC BY-SA 3.0 : Sarcodes - Wikipedia

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Taxonomy​

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Sarcodes

 

[DonTom]

Common names​

Sarcodes
snow plant
snow flower

Thanks. I didn't know about that site where I can upload photos of plants.

I wonder why this is the only one I have ever seen in all my years of hiking.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[LarsMac]

It's a pretty cool site.

I saw one of thosr plants once before, up near Tahoe. The guy I was hiking with said it was pretty rare. he'd only seen them a time or two.

 

[DonTom]

The guy I was hiking with said it was pretty rare. he'd only seen them a time or two.

That was the only one I ever saw. But I noticed Wikipedia has it listed a "G5 Secure" which means it's rather common.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Tulecreeper]

They're fairly common.

 

[jackiemac]

Google Lens also works.

I've seen them in California around Lake Manzanita. Unusual.

 

[DanielBafang]

It's hard to say exactly what it is without more info or a picture. But one possibility that comes to mind is a wildflower called Indian paintbrush. They come in different colors, including red.

 

[DanielBafang]

It's hard to say exactly what it is without more info or a picture. But one possibility that comes to mind is a wildflower called Indian paintbrush. They come in different colors, including red.

Another option could be a wild raspberry or even some kind of thyme lawn. If you can give more details or share a photo, I'm sure the experts here will be able to give you a more accurate answer.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Another option could be a wild raspberry or even some kind of thyme lawn. If you can give more details or share a photo, I'm sure the experts here will be able to give you a more accurate answer.

The question has been answered. It's a Snow Plant, also known as a sarcodes.

 

[John From Detroit]

You got it Tulecreeper
So you folks know GOOGLE had a feature called "Google Lens" Open a google search window in a new page in windowed mode and click on the camera ICON... Drag the image from this page (or from your photos) to the box on the Google lens page.
And up pops (Along with a lot of other links)

Snow Plant (Sarcodes sanguinea) Wildflower Pictures | Wild Macro Stock Photography

Snow plant (Sarcodes sanguinea) Natural History Fine Art Stock Photography By Timothy Boomer.

wildmacro.com

Beautiful plant by the way

 

[DonTom]

Snow Plant (Sarcodes sanguinea) Wildflower Pictures | Wild Macro Stock Photography

Snow plant (Sarcodes sanguinea) Natural History Fine Art Stock Photography By Timothy Boomer.

wildmacro.com

"Due to snow plant's beauty and rarity, collection is prohibited under California law."

They're fairly common.

Is it a rarity or is it "fairly common"?

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Ray-IN]

I went on a short hike in Galena Park, NV today, near Mt. Rose. Eastern Sierra, between Carson City and Reno. Elevation is around 6,500 feet. I saw a red plant I never saw anywhere before. Only one on the entire hike of a few miles. It is around a foot high. What is it?
View attachment 164911

Download the phone app; LeafSnap. I use the free version, the paid version is more accurate in identifying leaves and plants. It says Snow Plant.

 

[Tulecreeper]

"Due to snow plant's beauty and rarity, collection is prohibited under California law."


Is it a rarity or is it "fairly common"?

-Don- Reno, NV

I've seen a bunch of them, so from my perspective they're fairly common.

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

When I go mushroom hunting I’ve seen a similar plant here in the midwest we call them Indian pipes or ghost plants. I don’t know if they are related.