Devious parasitic plant convinces host to grow into its own flesh

These mushroom-like flowers shed significant amounts of their core genes, including those related to photosynthesis, in order to achieve better synchronisation with its host plants. Scientists have observed how a merciless parasitic plant convinces its host to grow into its own flesh. The mushroom-like balanophoraceae may look like fungi, but are actually a cluster of flowers called inflorescences. And unlike other parasites that attach themselves to a host to steal nutrients directly, these devious plants convince their hosts to work with them to form a connective underground structure. This structure mixes up the tissue of the host and the parasite - which then steals its victim's nutrients. The process was detailed in a new study published in the journal Nature Plants, which examined how the flowers operate compared to another extreme parasitic plant called sapria. It found that while they are outwardly very different, they have undergone similarly major changes in their genetic makeup for the benefit of their relationship with their hosts.