Dodder

This plant has always fascinated me since learning about it for biology "o-level". I've hardly ever seen it though.

Certainly the Common Dodder of the UK is easily missed. At first I had stopped to investigate a Dwarf Thistle with a stemmed flower (some do have this) but realised after a while there were reddish threads growing around it. The flowers need full magnification on my macro lens and the pictures reveal the special feature of this relative of bindweed - no chlorophyll. It's a simple adaption really - if you are going to hold yourself up by winding around other plants why not tap into them for nourishment !