What Is an Example of a Non-Green Plant?

One common example of a non-green plant is Monotropa uniflora, or Indian Pipe. This completely white member of the blueberry family gets its color from a lack of chlorophyll, or the molecule that synthesizes sugar from sunlight and carbon dioxide.

Without chlorophyll, Indian Pipe cannot manufacture its own food and must absorb it from outside sources. In particular, it parasitizes the fungi that receive carbohydrates from the roots of trees. Because it cannot photosynthesize, it is not dependent upon the sun for energy. Thus, it can often be found growing in the rich, shaded soils that the host fungi prefer.