So, I was researching plants that do not require photosynthesis to survive and what do I find?

The Orobanche uniflora, more commonly known as the Naked Broomrape.

Naked Broomrape.

Naked Broomrape?

Really?

How? I mean: Why? Argh…

At first I thought it was only Wikipedia vandalism, but if this is a hoax then it has been orchestrated by a very thorough prankster.

Other plants of the same family include Greater Broomrape, Hairy Broomrape or Thistle Broomrape. Hard to imagine which would be more painful. And I don’t even want to think about Orobranche loricata, the Oxtongue Broomrape. I also think that a Medick Broomrape is very unlikely.

Naked Broomrape. I’ll have nightmares about that one.