About Pityopus californica (Eastw.) H.F.Copel.
Pityopus californica is a perennial herb that acts as a mycoheterotroph, obtaining nutrients by parasitizing fungi. It has a cream or white color and does not produce chlorophyll. It is the smallest mycotrophic member of the heath family. Above the forest floor's leaf litter, this species produces a fleshy, stemless peduncle that reaches no more than 10 centimeters in height. The plant is covered in reduced, scale-like leaves, which do not perform photosynthesis. The entire above-ground portion of the plant is effectively just an inflorescence, holding 2 to 11 cylindrical white flowers that bloom for a short period. Each flower has four or five white petals and a hairy floral throat. Its bloom period runs from May to July. After flowering, it produces a berry less than one centimeter wide that contains many seeds. Mature plants have a scent similar to Brie cheese, which may function to attract pollinators. After fruiting, the plant withers and remains dormant until the next flowering season. This species is native to mountains of the West Coast of the United States, growing at elevations below 1,800 meters (5,900 ft), ranging from Washington south to the Bay Area in California. It is uncommon across its entire native range. It grows in coniferous and mixed forest types, including mixed evergreen forest, yellow pine forest, red fir forest, and coastal coniferous forest.
