Periodically the mulched beds in our garden produce a woody plant with no green parts, It has rootlike growths underground, puts up stems about 6 inches long, and ends in pine-cone like swellings; you could also say pineapple-like or dried artichoke-like. Looks like some sort of saprophyte or parasite to me. No leaves, no flowers, no obviously "living" parts. It seems to grow straight out of the ground, not obviously on another decaying plant. I've never managed to catch it at an earlier stager if there is one. Don't have a camera so I can't send a picture at this time. If you can't id it from description, maybe you could give me some tips about where to look for information. Thanks very much.

Richard