North Carolina Wildflowers, Shrubs, & Trees

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages

Ericaceae > Hypopitys (pinesap)

Pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa) Pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa)
Korstian Division, Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
26 Sep 2011

Statewide and uncommon in NC in various forested habitats, this plant lacks chlorophyll and is parasitic on soil fungi. Fall-flowering populations are usually pinkish, while early season flowering plants are yellow-tawny colored.

Pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa) Pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa)
Korstian Division, Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
15 Oct 2006
Pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa) Pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa)
Korstian Division, Duke Forest, Orange Co., NC
15 Oct 2006

Classification of this plant has been fairly dynamic over the last few decades, and some scholars recognize it as Monotropa hypopithys.

Pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa) Pinesap (Hypopitys monotropa)
Transylvania Co., NC
9 Sep 2012

Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; Alan Weakley's Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Supplemental resources include USDA plants website, and NatureServe.

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Created on ... Nov 2, 2006 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com