Pyrola elliptica (Pyrola)

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Pyrola elliptica Nutt.

Pyrola, shinleaf, common shinleaf

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Ericales	Tea, persimmon, blueberry, Brazil nut, azalea, many others
Family	Pyrolaceae	Includes at least Chimaphila, Moneses, Orthilia, and Pyrola, and sometimes several genera usually placed in the family Monotropaceae
Genus	Pyrola	Pear-like, from the Latin diminutive of Pyrus, meaning “pear,” for the pear-like leaf shape, and a genus commonly called shinleaf or wintergreen
Species	elliptica	Elliptical, about twice as long as wide

About plant names...

Shinleaf is native to temperate regions of North America. It prefers shaded woods and stream banks, especially under hardwoods.

Plants: Leaf clusters are low-lying, only 1½-3" (4-8 cm) tall, while flower stalks reach 4-10" (10-25 cm). Usually there is a single flower stalk; occasionally there are two.

Leaves: Leaves emerge in a basal rosette. They are dull, oval, 1-3" (2.5-7.6 cm) long and ½-2" (1.5-5 cm) wide. Leaf edges are very slightly scalloped. The leaves are so low that they are often overtopped by leaves from surrounding plants. Leaf stalks (petioles) are shorter than the leaf blades.

Flowers: On flower spikes (racemes) with 3 to 21 hanging flowers. Each flower is white or greenish-white, ¼-½" (8.3-12 mm) around, with five rounded petals. Petals sometimes have green veins. There are a cluster of orange-tipped stamens, and a green pistil which extends well beyond the flower. At the base of each flower are five sepals, forming a green star. Flowers appear from June to August.

Fruits: A flattened round dry capsule ¼" (6.3 mm) around.

Medical: Leaves of plants in this genus contain an aspirin-like compound that has been used to make a poultice to treat bruises and wounds. The poultice, called shinplaster, is the source of the common name “shinleaf.”

6/27/2021 · Maquoit Bay Preserve, Brunswick, Maine
≈ 4½ × 7" (11 × 16 cm)

6/30/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 7 × 8" (18 × 21 cm)

Here are some similar species:

	*Pyrola americana*	You are here Pyrola elliptica	*Chimaphila maculata*
Common Name	rounded shinleaf	pyrola	spotted wintergreen
Plant	Leaf clusters are low-lying, only 1½-2" (4-6 cm) tall, while flower stalks reach up to 12" (30 cm).	Leaf clusters are low-lying, only 1½-3" (4-8 cm) tall, arranged in basal rosettes. Flower stalks reach 4-10" (10-25 cm). Usually there is a single flower stalk; occasionally there are two.	A low-growing plant (about 9" (22 cm)) that inhabits forest floors.
Flowers	On flower spikes (racemes) with 3 to 22 hanging flowers. Each flower is white, cream-colored, or pink or rarely red, ½-¾" (1.3-1.9 cm) around, with five round petals. There are 10 yellow or brown-tipped stamens, and a green pistil which extends well beyond the flower.	On flower spikes (racemes) with 3 to 21 hanging flowers. Each flower is white or greenish-white, ¼-½" (8.3-12 mm) around, with five rounded petals. Petals sometimes have green veins. There are a cluster of orange-tipped stamens, and a green pistil which extends well beyond the flower. At the base of each flower are five sepals, forming a green star. Flowers appear from June to August.	Nodding white flowers about ½-¾" (1.3-1.9 cm) across appear on red-brown stalks. Each stalk is tipped by 2-5 curving stems, each holding a downward-hanging flower. Each flower has 5 white petals, 5 light green sepals, ten stamens, and a green pistil. Flowers appear from late spring to early summer.
Leaves	Leaves emerge from the base of the plant, in a basal rosette. They are quite *round,* or sometimes egg-shaped, and *shiny,* with a vein structure that makes them look pleated or rippled. Leaf edges are very slightly scalloped. Leaves are 1-3" (2.5-7.6 cm) around.	Leaves emerge in a basal rosette from the base of the plant. They are *dull,* *oval,* 1-3" (2.5-7.6 cm) long and ½-2" (1.5-5 cm) wide. Leaf edges are very slightly scalloped. The leaves are so low that they are often overtopped by leaves from surrounding plants. Leaf stalks are shorter than the leaf blades.	Thick, low-lying, leathery, waxy-looking leaves are dark blue-green when mature, much lighter when young. They have a *prominent central white vein that branches out on larger leaves.* The leaves are about 1-3" (2.5-7.6 cm) long and ¼-1" (6.3-25 mm) wide. In the winter, the evergreen leaves turn purple. Leaf margins are dentate, with shallow, widely spaced teeth.
Fruit	A dry capsule ¹/₁₆-⅛" (3-3.5 mm) around.	A flattened round dry capsule ¼" (6.3 mm) around.	Seed capsules that eventually dry and split, releasing tiny seeds.
Range/ Zones
Habitats	Moist forests at elevations below 1.3 mi (2.1 km).	Shaded woods and stream banks, especially under hardwoods.	Forest floors with medium shade and medium to dry moisture levels.
Type	Wild	Wild	Wild

Online References:

Wildadirondacks.org

Minnesota Wildflowers

Www.adirondackvic.org

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Wisflora.herbarium.wisc.edu

EFloras

References:

Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 364

6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 10" (16 × 25 cm)

6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 6 × 9" (15 × 22 cm)

7/12/2020 · Harraseeket Trail, Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport, Maine
≈ 8 × 11" (20 × 26 cm)

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, Maine
≈ 5 × 7" (13 × 17 cm) ID is uncertain

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, Maine
≈ 5 × 6" (13 × 14 cm) ID is uncertain

6/30/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 7" (14 × 18 cm)

6/27/2021 · Maquoit Bay Preserve, Brunswick, Maine
≈ 5 × 5" (12 × 13 cm)

Pyrola compacta Jennings

Pyrola elliptica description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 11 Jul 2023.

6/20/2021 · Maquoit Bay Preserve, Brunswick, Maine
≈ 4 × 5" (10 × 12 cm)

7/12/2020 · Harraseeket Trail, Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport, Maine
≈ 5 × 8" (13 × 20 cm)

6/30/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 6" (15 × 15 cm)

6/14/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts
≈ 9 × 10" (23 × 26 cm)

6/20/2021 · Maquoit Bay Preserve, Brunswick, Maine
≈ 4½ × 4½" (11 × 11 cm)

7/12/2020 · Harraseeket Trail, Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, Freeport, Maine
≈ 10 × 8" (26 × 20 cm)

6/27/2021 · Maquoit Bay Preserve, Brunswick, Maine
≈ 3½ × 5" (9.1 × 13 cm)

Range:

About this map...