Japan’s mysterious ghost plants may hold the secret to how life adapts, survives, and grows in darkness

Japanese botanist Kenji Suetsugu’s childhood fascination with ghost flowers led to a career uncovering their secrets. These unique mycoheterotrophic plants survive without photosynthesis by parasitizing fungi, challenging biological norms. Suetsugu’s research revealed their reliance on camel crickets for seed dispersal and tiny insects for pollination, even discovering new species and a rare plant genus.