Purple Toothwort, Lathraea clandestina in West Sussex, High Weald yesterday

 Purple Toothwort, Lathraea clandestina is parasitic on the roots of various trees.  Lathraea is Greek for clandestine: you only see it when it flowers.  It has no chlorophyll, has no green leaves and doesn't photosynthesise.  Bumblebees visit the flowers but none was observed on this day.

See in on the public footpath at TQ331308.
Click https://sussexrambler.blogspot.com/search?q=toothwort
to see other entries from earlier years for this purple toothwort and our native toothwort.