Pilostyles

The plants completely lack stems, roots, leaves, and [[chlorophyll]]. While not flowering, they do not resemble most plants, living entirely inside the host as " [...] a [[mycelium]]-like endophyte formed by strands of [[parenchyma]] cells that are in close contact to the host [[Vascular tissue|vasculature]]".<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=González |first1=Angie D. |last2=Pabón-Mora |first2=Natalia |last3=Alzate |first3=Juan F. |last4=González |first4=Favio |date=2020 |title=Meristem Genes in the Highly Reduced Endoparasitic Pilostyles boyacensis (Apodanthaceae) |journal=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |volume=8 |doi=10.3389/fevo.2020.00209 |issn=2296-701X|doi-access=free }}</ref> Their presence is only noticeable when the flowers emerge out of the stems of the host plant.<ref name=":1" />

The plants completely lack stems, roots, leaves, and [[chlorophyll]]. While not flowering, they do not resemble most plants, living entirely inside the host as " [...] a [[mycelium]]-like endophyte formed by strands of [[parenchyma]] cells that are in close contact to the host [[Vascular tissue|vasculature]]".<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=González |first1=Angie D. |last2=Pabón-Mora |first2=Natalia |last3=Alzate |first3=Juan F. |last4=González |first4=Favio |date=2020 |title=Meristem Genes in the Highly Reduced Endoparasitic Pilostyles boyacensis (Apodanthaceae) |journal=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |volume=8 |doi=10.3389/fevo.2020.00209 |issn=2296-701X|doi-access=free }}</ref> Their presence is only noticeable when the flowers emerge out of the stems of the host plant.<ref name=":1" />

''Pilostyles'' is [[dioecious]], with separate male and female plants.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fernandes |first1=G. W. |last2=De Mattos |first2=E. A. |last3=Franco |first3=A. C. |last4=Lüttge |first4=U. |last5=Ziegler |first5=H. |year=1998 |title=Influence of the Parasite ''Pilostyles ingae'' (Rafflesiaceae) on some Physiological Parameters of the Host Plant, ''Mimosa naguirei'' (Mimosaceae) |journal=Botanica Acta |volume=111 |pages=51–54 |doi=10.1111/j.1438-8677.1998.tb00676.x|doi-access=free }}</ref> Male and female plants are not commonly known to inhabit the same host.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=McComb |first=Jen |date=2018-08-13 |title=The mysterious Pilostyles is a plant within a plant |url=https://www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/the-mysterious-pilostyles-is-a-plant-within-a-plant |access-date=2022-03-10 |website=Murdoch University |language=en}}</ref> Flowers are two or three millimeters wide and in some species each female flower can produce over 100 seeds, which are less than {{cvt|1|mm|2}} long.<ref name="armst">Armstrong, W. [http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ploct98.htm Southern California's Most Unusual Wildflower]</ref><ref name=":2" />

''Pilostyles'' is [[dioecious]], with separate male and female plants.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fernandes |first1=G. W. |last2=De Mattos |first2=E. A. |last3=Franco |first3=A. C. |last4=Lüttge |first4=U. |last5=Ziegler |first5=H. |year=1998 |title=Influence of the Parasite ''Pilostyles ingae'' (Rafflesiaceae) on some Physiological Parameters of the Host Plant, ''Mimosa naguirei'' (Mimosaceae) |journal=Botanica Acta |volume=111 |pages=51–54 |doi=10.1111/j.1438-8677.1998.tb00676.x|doi-access=free }}</ref> Male and female plants are not commonly known to inhabit the same host.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=McComb |first=Jen |date=2018-08-13 |title=The mysterious Pilostyles is a plant within a plant |url=https://www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/the-mysterious-pilostyles-is-a-plant-within-a-plant |access-date=2022-03-10 |website=Murdoch University |language=en}}</ref> Flowers are two or three millimeters wide and in some species each female flower can produce over 100 seeds, which are less than {{cvt|1|mm|2}} long.<ref name="armst">Armstrong, W. [http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ploct98.htm Southern California's Most Unusual Wildflower]</ref><ref name=":2" /> These seeds contain embry, os composed of just eight cells, <ref>{{cite web | url= https://theconversation.com/the-mysterious-pilostyes-is-a-plant-within-a-plant-98767 | last= Wylle | first= Steve |last2= McComb |first= Jen | last3= Thiele | first3= Kevin | title= The Mysterious Pilostyles is a Plant within a Plant | date= August 10, 20118 | access-date= April 5, 2023 }}</ref> the smallest [[dicot]] embryo presently known.

Species are found in several countries, with a discontinuous distribution: species have been found in the United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Iran, Syria, and Australia.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Filipowicz |first1=Natalia |last2=Renner |first2=Susanne S |date=2010-07-21 |title=The worldwide holoparasitic Apodanthaceae confidently placed in the Cucurbitales by nuclear and mitochondrial gene trees |journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=219 |doi=10.1186/1471-2148-10-219 |issn=1471-2148 |pmc=3055242 |pmid=20663122 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2010BMCEE..10..219F }}</ref>

Species are found in several countries, with a discontinuous distribution: species have been found in the United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Iran, Syria, and Australia.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last1=Filipowicz |first1=Natalia |last2=Renner |first2=Susanne S |date=2010-07-21 |title=The worldwide holoparasitic Apodanthaceae confidently placed in the Cucurbitales by nuclear and mitochondrial gene trees |journal=BMC Evolutionary Biology |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=219 |doi=10.1186/1471-2148-10-219 |issn=1471-2148 |pmc=3055242 |pmid=20663122 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2010BMCEE..10..219F }}</ref>