Rank Species | Genus Chimaphila Higher classification Chimaphila | |
 | ||
Similar Chimaphila, Pyrola, Chimaphila maculata, Orthilia, Moneses | ||
Pipsissewa chimaphila umbellata
Chimaphila umbellata (Umbellate Wintergreen, Pipsissewa, or Prince's pine) is a small perennial flowering plant found in dry woodlands, or sandy soils. It is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere.
Contents
It grows 10–35 cm tall, and has evergreen shiny, bright green, toothed leaves arranged in opposite pairs or whorls of 3-4 along the stem. Leaves have a shallowly toothed margin, where the teeth have fine hairs at their ends. The flowers are white or pink, produced in a small umbel of 4-8 together.
Ecology
Although it has green leaves year-round, it receives a significant portion of its nutrition from fungi in the soil (that is, it is a partial myco-heterotroph, which is not surprising as related plants, such as Pyrola, are partial or full myco-heterotrophs).
Taxonomy
There are four subspecies:
Uses
Some Plateau Indian tribes used a boil of prince's pine to treat tuberculosis.
It is used as a flavoring in candy and soft drinks, particularly root beer.
"Pipsissewa" is a Cree name meaning "It-breaks-into-small-pieces".
