Chimaphila maculata (L.) Pursh

  • Family

    Pyrolaceae (Magnoliophyta)

  • Scientific Name

    Chimaphila maculata (L.) Pursh

  • Primary Citation

    Fl. Amer. Sept. (Pursh) 1: 300. 1814

  • Basionym

    Pyrola maculata L.

  • Common Names

    dowísawa, encinilla, hierba de madroño, hierba del hígado, návaita binaragadü, pima-mumu-or, pirinola, rojísuwi, rujisua, tesqüino fermenter, yerba del hígado, spotted wintergreen

  • Description

    Description: Subshrubs, 1-5.3 dm tall. Leaves spreading, clustered in 2-5 pseudo-whorls of 2-5 leaves each, the pseudo-whorls separated by conspicuous, 1-7 cm long internodes, thick-coriaceous, narrowly lanceolate, lanceolate, oblong-lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate, or ovate, 2-10 x 0.8-3.1 cm, basally obtuse, rounded, or widely cuneate, apically acute or acuminate, margin coarsely and remotely 3-15-toothed with sharp and salient teeth occurring the length of the leaf margin, lustrous or shiny dark-green above and marked with a broad whitish line on the midrib and larger secondary veins (i.e., maculated), pale reddish-purple below; midvein impressed above; petioles terete to slightly channeled, smooth, 3-13 mm long, reddish-brown. Inflorescences (1-)2-5-flowered; peduncles usually solitary, but sometimes two from a single stem, finely papillate, 4-18.5 cm long, light reddish-brown; pedicels finely papillate, 3-6 mm long, light reddish-brown; floral bracts inserted well below the calyx, membranaceous, acicular to linear-lanceolate, acute, slightly denticulate, 4-6 x ca. 0.5 mm, papillate toward the base, smooth above, dark brown. Flowers: calyx 4-6 mm long, bases overlapping, lobes broadly-ovate, rounded, erose-denticulate, 1.4-4.1 x 1.3-4.5 mm, pink (?), reflexed in fruit; corolla broadly crateriform, 15-20 x 10-15 mm, white or pink, with a tinge of violet, petals orbicular, 6-12 x 4.5-8 mm, margins fimbriate or erose-denticulate; stamens 6-7 mm long; filaments 4-6 mm long, the dilated portion densely villous, violet-purple (?); anthers 2-4 mm long, light brown; ovary depressed-globose; stigma 2-3.5 mm diam. Capsule 5-10 mm tall, 5-10 mm diam.

    Distribution: In the Flora Neotropica area on shady slopes in Pinus, Pinus-Quercus, Pinus-Quercus-Liquidambar, Abies, Pinus-Abies, Quercus, or Quercus-bamboo forest at elevations of (500-)1000-3400 m. Flowering April to September, less frequently November to January; fruiting throughout the year, the capsules often persisting to the next flowering season.

    Type: U.S.A. Virginia, without definite locality, s.d. (fl), Clayton 88 (lectotype, Reveal et al., 1987, p. 232, BM n.v.).

  • Floras and Monographs

    Chimaphila maculata (L.) Pursh: [Article] 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.

    Chimaphila maculata (L.) Pursh: [Book] Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.