Pyrola minor (Small Shinleaf)
Also known as: | Lesser Wintergreen |
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Genus: | Pyrola |
Family: | Ericaceae (Heath) |
Life cycle: | perennial |
Origin: | native |
Status: |
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Habitat: | part shade, shade; moist, cool forests and conifer swamps |
Bloom season: | July |
Plant height: | 4 to 6 inches |
Wetland Indicator Status: | GP: FACU MW: none NCNE: FAC |
MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): | ![]() |
National distribution (click map to enlarge): | ![]() |
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Detailed Information
Flower:
Raceme of 3 to 11 nodding flowers on short stalks at the top of the stem. Flowers are white, often tinged with pink and/or green, the 5 rounded, oval petals typically barely opening, making a globe-like blossom ¼ to 1/3 inch across. The brown-tipped stamens are mostly hidden under the petals with the short, straight and greenish, 5-parted style just extended to the flower opening.
The 5 sepals are triangular, light green or tinged red, and about ¼ as long as the petals.
Leaves and stems:
The leaves are basal or nearly so, the thin blade broadly elliptic or nearly round, ¾ to 1-1/8 inch long and ½ to 1 inch wide with smooth surfaces and minutely toothed edges, the slender stalk ½ to 1¼ inches long. The single stem of the flower stalk is erect and smooth
Notes:
Small Shinleaf is the rarest of Minnesota's five Pyrola species and also its smallest. It spreads by underground stems (rhizomes) and can be found in colonies of a few to dozens of plants. While it may be confused with our two other white pyrolas, Round-leaved Pyrola (Pyrola americana) and Shinleaf (Pyrola elliptica), both of these have flowers that open widely, with a long curved style that hangs below the flower like an elephant's trunk. The leaves of Small Shinleaf resemble those of One-sided Pyrola (Orthilia secunda) and may be found growing right next to it, but the one-sided flowering stem of O. secunda sets these two apart. Small Shinleaf is also a far northern species, its range is restricted to cool, moist upland forests and swamps of Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties with the vast majority in Cook. Pyrola minor was listed by the DNR as a Special concern species in 1996. It is listed as Endangered in Wisconsin.
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More photos
Photos by K. Chayka and Peter M. Dziuk taken in Cook County.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2020-06-26 21:14:16
Walking with friends we were were looking at the blooming Lady Slippers and saw these plants near by. We couldn’t see the leaves at the bottom because of all the grasses. I looked at all the plants online that grow in MN and couldn’t find it . A book my mother gave me of flower drawings, bought in the 80’s is where I found it.... maybe. Wild flowers of America by H.W. Rickety. I hope it is right. It looked like coral bells.
on: 2020-06-27 06:24:15
Pam, what you saw was probably a different Pyrola. If you thought it resembled coral bells, which has pink flowers, then it was likely pink pyrola, which is common in Itasca County.