Chimaphila

  • Authority

    Luteyn, James L., et al. 1995. Ericaceae, Part II. The Superior-Ovaried Genera (Monotropoideae, Pyroloideae, Rhododendroideae, and Vaccinioideae P.P.). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 66: 560. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Pyrolaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Chimaphila

  • Type

    Lectotype [Britton & Brown, 1913: 672]. Chimaphila maculata (Linnaeus) Pursh. Name compounded from the Greek cheima, winter, and phileo, to love; an allusion to one of the common names, "wintergreen."

  • Synonyms

    Pseva Raf., Chimaza R.Br., Pipseva, Chimaphila maculata (L.) Pursh, Pyrola umbellata L., Chimaphila umbellata (L.) Nutt., Pipseva officinalis Raf., Pyrola umbellata L.

  • Description

    Genus Description - Subshrubs, erect (rarely decumbent), to 5.3 dm tall, stems simple or branched at the base. Leaves alternate to subopposite, clustered in 2-5(-6) pseudo-whorls along the stem, the pseudo-whorls often separated by conspicuous internodes; leaf blades slightly revolute, coriaceous, often shiny or lustrous; margin toothed or serrate. Inflorescences stalked corymbs, subumbels, or rarely flowers solitary; peduncles and pedicels finely papillate or smooth; each flower subtended by a deciduous or persistent bract. Flowers fragrant, nodding to divergent; calyx persistent in fruit; corolla crateriform to broadly crateriform, actinomorphic, petals concave, broadly ovate to obovate, thick, white, pink, or rose-pink, spreading to reflexed, without appendages or tubercles; stamens included, the filaments dilated basally, the dilated portion ciliate, ciliolate, villous, or glabrous; the anther thecae wrinkled, papillate or smooth, terminated by anther tubes 0.5-1 mm long, diverging, pores ovate; ovary subtended by a 5angled, nectariferous disc; style very short or subsessile, obconical or turbinate, depressed in the summit of the ovary; stigma peltate, rounded, entire or with 5 undulate lobes. Capsule depressed-globose, erect, borne on an erect pedicel, brown or dark-brown, dehiscence complete, the margins of the valves smooth; seeds light golden-brown, testa evidently without pits (n = 13).