Indian pipe

American  

noun

1. a leafless, pearly white, saprophytic plant, Monotropa uniflora, of North America and Asia, having a solitary white flower and resembling a tobacco pipe.

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Indian pipe British  

noun

1. a white or pinkish saprophytic woodland plant, Monotropa uniflora, of the N hemisphere, with a solitary nodding flower resembling a pipe: family Monotropaceae

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Etymology

Origin of Indian pipe

An Americanism dating back to 1785–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Indian pipe

Indian pipe is a ghost of a plant: It lacks chlorophyll, so it can’t make its own food with sunlight the way most plants do.

From Slate ● May 17, 2016

This soon gave place to yarns of our various adventures, Ritchie being in excellent form to-night, and, between the whiffs he took of his Indian pipe, he related to us some marvellous experiences.

From Wild Life in the Land of the Giants A Tale of Two Brothers by Stables, Gordon

I can smoke my own pipe in turn, but when the Indian pipe comes around, I am nonplussed.

From Mormon Settlement in Arizona A Record of Peaceful Conquest of the Desert by McClintock, James H.

But what of the delicate Indian pipe which gleams out from the darkest aisles of the forest?

From The Log of the Sun A Chronicle of Nature's Year by Beebe, William

Every one who has handled the colorless Indian pipe knows how cold and clammy it is.

From Wild Flowers An Aid to Knowledge of Our Wild Flowers and Their Insect Visitors by Blanchan, Neltje