Here is an interesting little mystery. Seen this week in Shenandoah
National Park, in a thicket of mountain laurel and chestnut oaks.
The plant is about 1.5 to 2 inches tall:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom1.jpg

Each little closed "flower" appears to be 5 sepals, enclosing a
small (quarter inch long or smaller) flower of 5 petals, fused
to form a tube for the lower half of the length of the petals:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom4.jpg

Inside the flower are 10 stamens and the pistil.

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom5.jpg

Here is another picture inside the flower:

http://www.nyx.net/~dhcox/broom2.jpg

I am completely stumped on this one. I thought it might be in
the broomrape family at first, but that was easy to eliminate,
since there are few of those. I would be very grateful for any
ideas about species or genus or family -- TIA!

-David Cox