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| Pyrola | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pyrola asarifolia | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pyroloideae |
| Genus: | Pyrola L. |
| Species | |
About 30 species, including: | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
PirolaNeck. | |
Pyrola/ˈpɪrələ/[2] is a genus of evergreenherbaceousplants in the familyEricaceae. Under the old Cronquist system it was placed in its own familyPyrolaceae, but genetic research showed it belonged in the familyEricaceae. The species are commonly known aswintergreen, a name shared with several other related and unrelated plants (seewintergreen for details). They are native to northern temperate andArctic regions.
They are rather small plants with arosette of simple orbicular or ovateleaves, with aflower stem bearing generally rather laxracemes of simple white, cream or pink flowers. The immediate distinguishing feature ofPyrola species is the flower style which is often curved, sticks out beyond the petals and is expanded below thestigma which itself is branched into severallobes. To the casual observer the flower appears to have a small bell-clapper sticking out.
They are distributed across northerntemperate andarcticEurope,Asia andNorth America. In North America they also occur down the western mountains south toCalifornia.
Pyrolaceae, as part of the Ericales producepollen inanthers which open by apical pores. The pollen itself is produced in tetrads and is rathersticky. Not surprisingly, wintergreens areinsect pollinated, most commonly byflies. The rather large and complex stigma may be an adaptation to ensure that small insects carrying pollen have an attractive landing place. The flowers are produced in the summer and the rather inconspicuous greenish seed capsules are produced in the autumn. The seeds are numerous and very small.
Wintergreens prefer damp and shady locations in woods or indune slacks. They are often rather local in distribution but can be locally common especially in their more northern locations. Occurring often separately from the leaved varieties are the achlorophyllous, leafless forms of one or more of the typed species. Leaves, if present, can be narrow and reddish. These aremyco-heterotrophs and feed parasitically off of one or more of the local mycelia. Because of this parasitic action, the viability of the non-photosynthetic pyrola relies on the survival of the supporting mycelium. The pyrola group is one of a select few that can live both photosynthetically or not. This differentiation is not understood and if deciphered could explain how other obligate non-photosynthetic forest dwelling plants have crossed that evolutionary threshold.
Captain George Vancouver's (1757-1798) botanist Archibald Menzies discovered four new pyrolas near Squirrel Cove, Cortes Island, BC with delicate pink or white flowers often with evergreen leaves. From Desolation Sound by Heather Harbord 1939ISBN 978-1-55017-407-6
Pyrola elliptica, commonly known as "shinleaf", contains a drug related toaspirin, and the leaves have been used to treat bruises. Its common name derives from its use in shin casting.[3]
Media related toPyrola at Wikimedia Commons