I used the common name "Squawroot" for my photos, because that's what I found in my field guides. I recently talked to a friend with Native American ancestry who said that Native Americans find that name offensive, so I have changed the names of my photos to Bear Corn.
Conopholis americana attaches to the roots of Red Oak trees and derives all the nutrients that it needs from the tree. After three years it produces the above-ground flowers. The oak tree floods the parasite with tannins that eventually kill the parasite, but it may persist for over a decade. The parasite does no significant long-term harm to the tree. I've seen very large Red Oak trees that have been surrounded by Conopholis americana for decades.
Evening Tim - the area my wife and I moved into 7 years ago has an over-abundance of this parasite. A local nature person tells me it does not kill Oak trees, but I wonder if that's true?
