Striped Wintergreen
Chimaphila maculata
Wintergreen family (Pyrolaceae)
Description:
This wildflower has evergreen leaves and semi-woody stems. The entire
plant, including the inflorescence, is about 6-10" tall. Plants without
an inflorescence are only 3-5" tall. The central stem of each plant is
red to brown, unbranched, glabrous, and more or less terete. One or two
pairs of smaller opposite leaves occur near the base of the stem, while
a single whorl of three larger leaves occur at the base of the
inflorescence. The leaves are 1-3" long, ¼–1" across, rather
leathery in texture, and glabrous; they are lanceolate to ovate in
shape, while their margins have widely spaced dentate teeth. The
upper leave surface is dark green, except in areas along the veins,
where it is white; this provides the upper leaf surface with a
pinnately striped appearance. The lower leaf surface is light green.
The petioles of these leaves are short and slender. On fertile plants,
the stem terminates in an inflorescence consisting of a nodding umbel,
or nodding umbel-like cyme, of 2-5 flowers on a long unbranched
peduncle
(flowering stalk). Sometimes the inflorescence produces only a single
nodding flower. The erect peduncle is pinkish red to light brown,
relatively stout, terete, and short-pubescent; the pedicels of
individual flowers are similar, except they are shorter (about 1" long)
and strongly recurved, holding the flowers face-down. Each flower is
about ½–¾" across, consisting of 5 white petals, 5 light green sepals,
10 stamens, and a green pistil. The petals are oval in shape and
concave toward the face of the flower. The sepals are oval-ovate in
shape and less than one-half of the length of the petals. The stamens
have showy light pink anthers and very short filaments; the anthers are
bifurcated, releasing pollen from round pores at their tips. The
pistil consists of a superior ovary, a short style, and large stigma
(all green). The ovary is subgloboid in shape and slightly 5-lobed. The
style has a short obconic shape with a broad flat tip and even broader
base. The stigma is dome-shaped and wider than the style.
The blooming
period occurs from late spring to early summer, lasting about 2 weeks.
The flowers are fragrant. Afterwards, the flowers are replaced
by seed capsules that are about 8 mm. (1/3") across and dark brown
at maturity; they have the same shape as the ovary. The
sepals persist underneath these seed capsules. When these capsules
split open from above, they release many fine seeds. The root system
consists of brown fibrous roots and underground white stolons; the
latter are long and slender. Clonal plants are often produced from the
stolons.
Cultivation:
The preference is partial sun to medium
shade, dry-mesic conditions, and an acidic soil containing some rocky
material or sand. Growth and development are relatively slow. The seeds
are difficult to germinate, although new plants can be created by
dividing the root systems of older plants. In order to flourish,
however, the presence of an appropriate mycorrhizal fungus in the soil
may be required.
Range
& Habitat: Striped Wintergreen is a
rare native plant in Illinois, where it is state-listed as
'endangered.' It has been found in only two counties (Cook County and
Pope County) within the state; see the Distribution
Map.
At the present time, it may be
extirpated from Cook County because of development. Illinois lies along
the NE range-limit of this plant; it is more common in mountainous
areas further to the east and southeast. In Illinois, habitats consist
of rocky upland woodlands and sandy upland woodlands; the latter
habitat occurs along Lake Michigan. In these habitats, oaks (Quercus
spp.)
are usually the dominant canopy trees. Outside of Illinois, this plant
is often found in mixed woodlands and coniferous woodlands. Striped
Wintergreen is
restricted to high quality natural areas in Illinois.
Faunal
Associations: The flowers are cross-pollinated
primarily by bumblebees;
honeybees also visit the flowers (Standley et al., 1988). These insects
obtain nectar from the flowers. The foliage of Striped Wintergreen is
regarded as toxic to sheep (Schaffer, 1904), and White-tailed Deer
usually avoid it when there are better sources of food (Rawinski, 2016).
Photographic
Location: A wooded area in the southern
Appalachian mountains. The
photographs were taken by Paul Showers (Copyright © 2016).
Comments:
Both the foliage and flowers
are quite ornamental. In Illinois, the closest relative of Striped
Wintergreen is Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata).
This latter plant can
be distinguished by its leaves: 1) they are oblanceolate in shape, 2)
the margins of its leaves are more finely and abundantly toothed, and
3) its leaves lack the white markings that are found on the leaves of
Striped Wintergreen. The inflorescence of Pipsissewa also tends to have
more flowers (4-8) than the inflorescence of Striped Wintergreen. The
common name, 'Wintergreen,' refers to the evergreen leaves, as the
leaves of Striped Wintergreen do not possess a mint-like fragrance.
Thus, Striped Wintergreen should not be confused with another
low-growing semi-woody plant, Wintergreen (Gaultheria
procumbens). In
addition to the fragrance of its leaves, this latter plant differs by
its white bell-shaped flowers, red berries, and toothless leaf margins.
Other common names of Chimaphila maculata are
Spotted Wintergreen,
Spotted Prince's Cone, Striped Prince's Cone, Spotted Pipsissewa, and
Striped Pipsissewa.