David Hamilton Cox wrote:

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

Was there any green on the plant at all? This resembles a bit some of
the parasitic Orobanche we get down here. Might also look about in
the Monotropas and other non-chlorophyllous things.

M. Reed