Picture taken April 16, 2015. Growing on top of and on bank of Saluda River near I-85. No leaves seen. There are about clusters of these containing anywhere from 1 to around 10 flowers each. They are in an area about 8 foot in diameter.
Hi Jeff,
this is a nice find – often overlooked – the native Orobanche uniflora; it is parasitic usually on the roots or rhizomes of the wild woodland aster, Aster divaricatus, and perhaps a few others, and so it has no chlorophyll or leaves. I have also seen it along the Foothills Trail just below Whitewater Falls. It looks like an old fashioned clay dutch pipe.
Sincerely,
Steve Hill, Botanist, SCNPS