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• All other flowering non-woody plants
• All other herbaceous, flowering dicots
• Monotropa uniflora

Monotropa uniflora — one-flowered Indian-pipe

Facts

Indian-pipe is a mycotroph, which means that it parasitizes fungi. In this case, it has a relationship with specific fungi that are mycorrhizal on trees. Therefore, this chlorophyll-lacking plant ultimately derives its energy from trees who use chlorophyll to photosynthesize. This plant also has a variety of uses in Native American and contemporary herbal medicine.

Habitat

Forests

Characteristics

• 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 color

  the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint

  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 do not 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

  10–15 mm

  Filament surface

  • the filament has rough hairs or scales on it
  • the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales

  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

  10–17 mm

  Flower number

  1

  Flower orientation

  the flower bends downwards or hangs downwards

  Flower petal color

  • pink to red
  • white

  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

  Fringed petal edges

  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 no hairs on it

  Hairs on inflorescence

  the axis of the inflorescence has no hairs on it

  Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

  NA

  Hypanthium

  the flower does not have a hypanthium

  Hypanthium length

  0 mm

  Inflorescence length

  50–300 mm

  Inflorescence one-sided

  • NA
  • 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
  • there are six petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
  • there are three 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 only one cycle of petals or sepals

  Petal and sepal colors

  • pink to red
  • white

  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

  10–20 mm

  Petal nectaries

  the petals do not have nectaries

  Petal number

  3–6

  Petal shape

  the petal outline is obovate (roughly egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)

  Petal tip shape

  • the petal tip is lobed or fringed
  • the petal tip is rounded

  Petal tips (Cuscuta)

  NA

  Petal width

  5–15 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 cilia

  the sepals do not have cilia

  Sepal color

  white

  Sepal features

  NA

  Sepal length

  7–10 mm

  Sepal number

  3–6

  Sepal orientation

  the sepals are curved outwards and downwards from the corolla

  Sepal relative length

  NA

  Sepal shape

  • the sepal outline is lanceolate (lance-shaped; narrow, gradually tapering from the base to the tip)
  • the sepal outline is oblong (rectangular, but with rounded ends)

  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
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13 or more
  • 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

  2–7 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

  Capsule splitting

  the capsule splits by five 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

  7–11 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

  5–12 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 are not hairy

  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

  Relative fruit length

  0

  Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit compression

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit segments

  0

  Seed length

  0.5–1 mm

  Seed number

  Up to 100

  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

  10–20 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

  5–15 mm

  Leaf blade primary vein pattern

  NA

  Leaf blade shape

  NA

  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

  Leaflet number

  0

  Leaflet petiolules

  NA

  Leaves per node

  NA

  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

• 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

  0.1–1 mm

  Hair between stem nodes

  • NA
  • the stem has no hairs between the nodes

  Hairs between stem nodes

  • NA
  • the stem has no hairs between the nodes

  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

  5–30 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

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae