This parasitic plant convinces hosts to grow into its own flesh--it's also an extreme example of genome shrinkage

Balanophora shed one third of its genes as it evolved into a streamlined parasitic plant -- an extreme degree of genome shrinkage even among parasites. Along the way this subtropical plant developed the ability to induce the host plant to grow into the parasite's own flesh -- forming chimeric organs that mix host and parasite tissues.

from All Top News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/nBxhzyF