| Balanophora fungosa | |
|---|---|
| |
| B. fungosa growing in rainforest near Kuranda in Queensland. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Santalales |
| Family: | Balanophoraceae |
| Genus: | Balanophora |
| Species: | B. fungosa
|
| Binomial name | |
| Balanophora fungosa | |
Balanophora fungosa, sometimes known as fungus root, is a flowering plant in the family Balanophoraceae and occurs in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and some Pacific islands. It is a parasite growing on the roots of rainforest trees. The flowering structure is shaped like a puffball but in fact consists of a globe covered with thousands of tiny female flowers. The globe is surrounded at its base by a much smaller number of male flowers. In flower, the plant emits an odour resembling that of mice.[2][3]
- ^ "Balanophora fungosa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
- ^ "Balanophora fungosa". BSA Parasitic Plant Pages. St. Louis, MO: Botanical Society of America. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Balanophora fungosa subsp. fungosa". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 29 June 2021.