This unusual plant is related to the Squawroot that we have here in the eastern forests. Squawroot is parasitic on oak tree roots, Ground Cone is parasitic on Mountain Alder roots. I found it climbing up the Skyline Trail on my quest for the Chocolate Lily. These plants were the only ones I saw during our 2 week trip.
This is not a flowering plant, but it was so common in the areas of Alaska that we visited, I decided to add it to this site. In some areas it grew so thickly, few other plants could compete with them. The plant contains silica in the stem, which gives the plant a rough feeling, they were once used as pot scrubbers.
These flowers were photographed in my cousin's neighborhood in Kenai. The plants grow up to 3 feet tall. They are a very lovely blue color.
