a purplish-red, leafless plant (Pterospora andromedea) of the heath family, with white flowers: it is parasitic on the roots of pines
See pinedrops in American Heritage Dictionary 4
plural noun(used with a sing. or pl. verb)
A purplish-brown, leafless, North American plant (Pterospora andromedea) living as a parasite on roots and having urn-shaped, reddish or white flowers arranged in a terminal raceme.