Monotropaceae

From Freepedia

Monotropaceae was a small family of flowering plants under the old Cronquist system of plant classification. It included the eight genera Allotropa, Hemitomes, Monotropa, Monotropsis, Pityopus, Pleuricospora, Pterospora, Sarcodes.

Recent genetic research by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group has however demonstrated that these genera are better placed in the family Ericaceae.

The genera are all saprophytes, meaning that they derive nutrients from dead organic material in the soil or act as root parasites. They contain no chlorophyll.