Pyrola elliptica Nutt.

Waxflower shinleaf (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Ericales > Ericaceae > Pyrola

Characteristics

Plants rhizomatous, 1.1-2.7(-3) dm. Leaves: petiole (8-)12-40 mm, channeled adaxially, glabrous; blade not or, rarely, obscurely maculate, dull and light green abaxially, shiny and dark green, rarely with white tissue bordering larger veins adaxially, broadly elliptic to oblong or oblong-obovate, 12-80 × (8-)11-57 mm, subcoriaceous, base decurrent or acute to rounded, margins crenulate or obscurely denticulate, apex obtuse to rounded. Inflorescences 1(-2) per stem, 3-14(-21)-flowered; peduncular bracts absent or 1-2(-4), subulate to linear-lanceolate or lanceolate, 3.5-10 × 0.5-1.2 mm, membranous, margins entire; inflorescence bracts subulate to narrowly lanceolate, usually shorter than or, rarely, longer than subtended pedicels, (2-)2.5-10 × 0.3-1 mm, membranous. Pedicels 3-8 mm. Flowers: calyx lobes appressed or spreading in fruit, green or pinkish with margins hyaline to white, deltate to deltate-ovate, 1.2-2.1(-2.6) × 1.2-1.9(-2.3) mm, margins entire or obscurely erose-denticulate, apices acute to short-acuminate; petals white to greenish white, obovate, 6-8.8(-10) × 3-5.4 mm, margins entire or obscurely erose-denticulate; stamens 4-6 mm; filament base 0.6-0.9 mm wide; anthers 2.2-3.5 mm, apiculations 0.1-0.4 mm, thecae creamy white or tan, tubules yellowish brown, 0.3-0.6 mm, gradually narrowed from thecae, lateral walls touching for most of their lengths or connivent distally, pores 0.1-0.2 × 0.1-0.2 mm; ovary smooth; style exserted, 5-7 mm; stigma 0.7-1.2(-1.5) mm wide, lobes erect. Capsules depressed-globose, 3-5 × 3.7-6.6 mm. 2n = 46.
More
Lvs 3–7 cm, commonly longer than the petiole, broadly elliptic or oblong to somewhat obovate, subacute to rounded above, acute to rounded at base and always decurrent on the petiole; scapes 1.5–3 dm, often with more than 10 fls; sep triangular, about as broad as long, very shortly acuminate; pet 5–9 mm, white, ± veined with green; anther-tubes scarcely narrowed or differentiated from the pollen-sacs, prolonged only 0.2–0.3 mm and connivent; style declined. Dry upland woods; Nf. and Que. to Minn. and B.C., s. to Del., W.Va., and Io. June–Aug.
Life form perennial
Growth form
Growth support mycoheterotroph
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 0.3
Mature height (meter) 0.2
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Rich, mainly dry woods.
Light 3-8
Soil humidity 4-7
Soil texture 3-6
Soil acidity 1-6
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 3-6

Usage

Uses medicinal
Edible -
Therapeutic use Anticonvulsive (leaf), Pediatric Aid (leaf), Oral Aid (leaf), Throat Aid (leaf), Anticonvulsive (root), Pediatric Aid (root), Stimulant (root), Dermatological Aid (unspecified), Unspecified (unspecified), Antirheumatic (Internal) (unspecified), Blood Medicine (unspecified), Eye Medicine (unspecified), Gastrointestinal Aid (unspecified), Orthopedic Aid (unspecified), Cancer Treatment (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by divisions or seedlings.
Mode divisions seedlings
Germination duration (days) 30 - 90
Germination temperacture (C°) 12
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Pyrola elliptica habit picture by PT (cc-by-sa)
Pyrola elliptica habit picture by PT (cc-by-sa)
Pyrola elliptica habit picture by Tasha Tchek (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Pyrola elliptica leaf picture by PT (cc-by-sa)
Pyrola elliptica leaf picture by Chris E (cc-by-sa)
Pyrola elliptica leaf picture by Nicole M (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Pyrola elliptica flower picture by noemie pouliot (cc-by-sa)
Pyrola elliptica flower picture by PT (cc-by-sa)
Pyrola elliptica flower picture by Nicole M (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Pyrola elliptica world distribution map, present in Canada and United States of America

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:331810-1
WFO ID wfo-0000396294
COL ID 6WQ4G
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Pyrola elliptica Thelaia elliptica