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

There we found the Indian pipe, or ghost-flower—leaf, stem, and flower, all white as wax, turning to coal-black if long brought into light, or if pressed between the leaves of a book.

From The Continental Monthly, Vol. 1, No. 5, May, 1862 Devoted To Literature And National Policy by Various

Vipan, stretched at full length beside the camp fire, smoking his long Indian pipe, looked the very picture of languid repose.

From Golden Face A Tale of the Wild West by Mitford, Bertram

The word calumet is due to Father Marquette, and his description of this interesting Indian pipe and its uses among the Indians over two hundred years ago is best given in his own words:

From Explorers and Travellers by Greely, Adolphus W.

There they are all together, an Indian pipe, Arabian coffee and American tobacco!

From Topsy-Turvy Land Arabia Pictured for Children by Zwemer, Samuel Marinus