Balanophora tobiracola

Balanophora tobiracola or commonly named as Kiiri-Tsuchi-Torimochi (scientific name: Balanophora tobiracola) is a small annual parasitic plant endemic to Japan, belonging to the genus Balanophora of the family Santalaceae. Its name comes from the fact that it was first discovered in the backyard of an elementary school in Kiiri-cho, Kagoshima City.
It produces up to 10 flower stalks (plant bodies) from the tops of underground stems. These flower stalks lack chlorophyll and are unable to photosynthesize, so the entire plant is light yellow to yellow in color. It grows wild in forests near the coast west of Kyushu, and is a parasite on the roots of beach plants such as Japanese stonewort and Japanese spindle tree, and takes nutrients from them. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers cohabiting in a single flower ear. The small female flowers are densely packed throughout, and three-petaled flowers with somewhat larger stamens are scattered among the female flowers.

Common name:Balanophora tobiracolai, scientific name: Balanophora tobiracola, origin: Japan, life form: small, annual parasitic plant, dioecious, active season: October to Flower stem (plant height): 3-11 cm, flower stem diameter: 2 cm, flower stem color: pale yellow to yellow, flower stem shape: cylindrical, parasitic hosts: Japanese stonewort, Japanese spindle tree, Japanese pepper, and Japanese spirea, special note: designated a national natural treasure.

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