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- All other flowering non-woody plants
- All other herbaceous, flowering dicots
- Hypopitys monotropa
Hypopitys monotropa — yellow pine-sap
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Facts
The yellow pine-sap is a mycotroph, and through parasitizing a mycorrhizal fungus, it receives energy produced through photosynthesis from the trees the fungus is associated with. Like other mycotrophs, yellow pine-sap has no green tissues.
Habitat
Forests, woodlands
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Flower petal color
-
- orange
- pink to red
- yellow
- Leaf type
-
- NA
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
-
- NA
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
-
- NA
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
-
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Stamen number
-
- 10
- 8
- 9
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 6–10 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther attachment
- the anther is attached near its midpoint to the filament
- Anther length
- 0.8–1.5 mm
- Anther opening
- the anthers have small holes or openings at the tips
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Anther tube length
- 0 mm
- Calyx growth after flowering
- the calyx does not grow to cover or partially cover the fruit
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpel hairs
- the carpels have no hairs
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cilia on petals
- the petal margins have cilia
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla morphology
- NA
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament length
- 7–14 mm
- Filament surface
- the filament has rough hairs or scales on it
- Flower appearance
- the flowers appear at the same time as the leaves
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower length
- 8–18 mm
- Flower number
- 2–16
- Flower orientation
- the flower bends downwards or hangs downwards
- Flower petal color
-
- orange
- pink to red
- yellow
- Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
-
- the style is knob-like at the tip, and unbranched
- the style is lobed at the tip, and unbranched
- Fringed petal edges
-
- the petals are fringed
- the petals are not fringed
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Hairs on flower stalk
-
- the flower stalk has hairs on it
- the flower stalk has no hairs on it
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- Hypanthium length
- 0 mm
- Inflorescence length
- 50–320 mm
- Inflorescence one-sided
-
- the flowers are all or nearly all arrayed on one side of the inflorescence axis or branches of the inflorescence
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Interior flower disk
- the flower has an interior disc
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of branches in umbel
- 0
- Number of carpels
- 4–6
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
-
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 1
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Perianth shape
-
- the perianth is another shape
- the perianth is campanulate (bell-shaped, with a tube about as long as wide, flaring at the mouth)
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
-
- orange
- pink to red
- yellow
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal base
- the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal glandular dots or scales
- no
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal hairs on inner/upper surface
- there are hairs on the inner/upper petal surface
- Petal length
- 8–17 mm
- Petal length relative to sepals
- the petals are longer than the sepals
- Petal nectaries
- the petals do not have nectaries
- Petal number
- 4–5
- Petal shape
- the petal outline is oblong (rectangular, but with rounded ends)
- Petal tip shape
-
- the petal tip is acute (sharply pointed)
- the petal tip is rounded
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Petal width
- 4–8 mm
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- no
- Sepal and petal color
- the petals and sepals are similar
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal auricles
- the sepals have no auricles
- Sepal color
-
- other
- pink to red
- white
- yellow
- Sepal features
- NA
- Sepal length
- 7–12 mm
- Sepal number
- 0–5
- Sepal orientation
- the sepals are pressed against the corolla, or jutting stiffly upward
- Sepal relative length
- NA
- Sepal shape
-
- the sepal outline is eliiptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the sepal outline is spatulate (roughly spoon-shaped; narrow near the base, suddenly widening to a rounded tip)
- Sepal texture
- the sepals are fleshy or spongy
- Sepal tip shape
-
- the sepal tip is acuminate (tapers to a very narrow point)
- the sepal tip is acute (is sharply pointed)
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spur length
- 0 mm
- Spur number
- NA
- Stamen appendages
- stamen appendages are absent
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals
- Stamen lengths differ
- the stamen lengths are other than the choices given
- Stamen morphology
- the stamens within a cycle differ in length or width
- Stamen number
-
- 10
- 8
- 9
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Stamen relative length
- anything
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not attached to one another
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Stigma position
- the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style
- Style length
- 2–10 mm
- Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
- Style relative length
- the stigma does not protrude beyond the mouth of the corolla
- Surface of ovary
- the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule ribs
-
- the capsule has five prominent ribs or wings
- the capsule has four prominent ribs or wings
- Capsule splitting
-
- the capsule splits by five main valves, teeth or pores
- the capsule splits by four main valves, teeth or pores
- Carpel beak length
- 0 mm
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is round in cross-section
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 6–10 mm
- Fruit length relative to sepals
- the fruit is longer than its associated sepals
- Fruit locules
-
- five
- four
- six or more
- Fruit shape
-
- the fruit is ellipsoid (widest in the middle and tapering to each end)
- the fruit is spherical
- Fruit stalk orientation
- the fruits point upward or spread or curve outward
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Fruit width
- 4–8 mm
- Hair type on fruit
- the hairs on the fruits are simple (not branched), don’t have glands, and are not woolly
- Hairs on fruit
- the fruits have hairs on them
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- Ovary stipe length
- 0 mm
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed length
- 0.5–1 mm
- Seed relative length
- the seed is longer than it is wide
- Seed surface
- the seed is covered with reticulate markings (a netlike pattern due to splitting and rejoining of lines or ridges)
- Seeds comose
- no hairs
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
-
- NA
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Horizontal rooting stem
- the plant does not have stolons
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Parasitism
- the plant is a parasite of fungi (mycoheterotrophic)
- Plant color
- the plant lacks green pigments, even on the leaves or young stems
- Plants darken when dry
- yes
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- there are only slender roots on the plant
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracteoles
-
- the plant has bracteoles between the primary bracts and the flowers
- there are no bracteoles on the plant
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Floral bracts
- the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
- Flower bract length
- 7–15 mm
- Hairs on leaf stalk
- NA
- Hairs on underside of leaf
- NA
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
- NA
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
-
- NA
- no
- Inflated hairs on leaf
-
- NA
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
- Leaf arrangement
-
- NA
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- NA
- the leaf has no stalk
- the leaf has no stalk and at the base it clasps the stem
- Leaf blade base shape
- NA
- Leaf blade base symmetry
- NA
- Leaf blade bloom
-
- NA
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
-
- NA
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf blade flatness
-
- NA
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
- NA
- Leaf blade length
- 5–13 mm
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
- NA
- Leaf blade shape
-
- NA
- the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
-
- NA
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade texture
- NA
- Leaf blade vein pattern
- NA
- Leaf blade veins
- NA
- Leaf blade width
- 0 mm
- Leaf duration
-
- NA
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf folding in bud
- NA
- Leaf form
-
- NA
- the leaves are small and thin and lack leaf stalks
- Leaf hair orientation
- NA
- Leaf sheath length
- 0 mm
- Leaf shiny
- NA
- Leaf spines
-
- NA
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- NA
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- NA
- Leaf stalk base
- NA
- Leaf stalk length
- 0 mm
- Leaf teeth and lobes
-
- NA
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf tip
-
- NA
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point
- Leaf tufts in axils
- NA
- Leaf type
-
- NA
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf types
- NA
- Leaf variation
-
- NA
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Leaflet petiolules
- NA
- Leaves per node
-
- NA
- there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
-
- NA
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipels
- NA
- Stipule edges
- NA
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipule fused to leaf stalk
- NA
- Stipule length
- 0 mm
- Stipule shape
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- forests
- woodlands
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Direction of stem hairs
- NA
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular
- Flowering stem width
- 1–10 mm
- Hair between stem nodes
-
- NA
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- Hairs between stem nodes
- NA
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
-
- NA
- no
- Leaves on stem
-
- the flowering stem has no leaves above the base
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Length of hairs between stem nodes
- 0 mm
- Plant height
- 5–32 cm
- Stem bloom
-
- NA
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem hair distribution
- NA
- Stem nodes swollen
- NA
- Stem orientation
-
- NA
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
- Stem roughness between nodes
-
- NA
- the stem does not feel rough
- Stem spacing
-
- NA
- the plant is solitary, or a few plants are growing together
- Stem succulence
- NA
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
- Wings on stem
-
- NA
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- widespread (S-rank: S5)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
2. Hypopitys monotropa Crantz N
yellow pine-sap. Hypopitys americana (DC.) Small; Monotropa hypopithys L. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT; nearly throughout. Forests, woodlands, frequently associated with Pinus and/or Quercus.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Hypopitys lanuginosa:
- stems pink to red in life, and plants flowering mostly during the latter half of August and during September (vs. H. monotropa, with stems light brown to yellow in life, though sometimes taking a red tinge during fruiting, and plants flowering during June, July, and the early half of August).
- Monotropa uniflora:
- stem without hairs, with a single flower (vs. H. monotropa, with the stem hairy, with 2-16 flowers in a raceme).
Synonyms
- Hypopitys americana (DC.) Small
- Monotropa hypopithys L.