Dive deep into the shady underbelly of Maine’s forests where ghost pipe, Monotropa uniflora, lurks as a devious freeloader, sapping life from innocent trees via fungal middlemen. Don’t be fooled by its eerie, ethereal glow; this perennial predator thrives in the dark, pilfering nutrients without a hint of photosynthesis. A touch of mystique surrounds its limited culinary and medicinal applications—handle with care, if you dare.