Plant Identification

[Enigmagic]

I've been trying to identify this ~4" seed spike unsuccessfully since we got back from hiking this summer. This was in the vicinity of Sandy Meadow between Crabtree and Wallace Creek. Any ideas? I haven't seen anything like it before and have only seen just the one.

thanks!

[Enigmagic]

nevermind, this looks like Sarcodes Sanguinea fruits

[bobby49]

Agreed. The common name is Snow Plant. It normally appears soon after the last snow melts off from a soil area with lots of decaying pine needles. It is a strange plant since it does not use chlorophyll.

Photo note: you want to pose it with some bright green staghorn lichen or similar color.

[Enigmagic]

I've seen some young shoots before, just didn't put it together that it was the same thing. </old brain>

Next time I will take your advice with the lichen, thanks :-)