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- Ericaceae
- Pyrola
- Pyrola americana
Pyrola americana — American shinleaf, American wintergreen
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Facts
The Cherokee used the leaves of American shinleaf to "stick on cuts and sores to heal them."
Habitat
Forests
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
-
- other
- pink to red
- white
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower symmetry
-
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
-
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- Stamen number
- 10
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 3–3.5 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 by its base to the filament
- Anther color
- the anthers show no hint of a pink, reddish or purplish tint
- Anther length
- 2–4.1 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
- 0.2–0.3 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 surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower diameter
- 8–12 mm
- Flower number
- 4–22
- Flower orientation
-
- the flower bends downwards or hangs downwards
- the flower points upwards or is angled outwards
- Flower petal color
-
- other
- 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)
- there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally 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 not fringed
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
-
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- the petals or the sepals are fused into a cup or tube
- 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
- 60–160 mm
- Inflorescence one-sided
- 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 does not have an interior disc
- Length of flower stalk
- 4–8 mm
- Length of peduncle
- 10–30 mm
- 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
- 5
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five 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
-
- other
- 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 no hairs on the inner/upper petal surface
- Petal length
- 6–10.5 mm
- Petal length relative to sepals
- the petals are longer than the sepals
- Petal nectaries
- the petals do not have nectaries
- Petal number
- 5
- Petal shape
-
- the petal outline is obovate (roughly egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the petal outline is orbicular (roughly circular, as wide as long)
- Petal tip shape
- the petal tip is rounded
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Petal width
- 4.5–5 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 sepals are different from the petals
- Sepal appearance
- the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture
- 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
-
- green to brown
- pink to red
- Sepal features
- NA
- Sepal length
- 2–4.5 mm
- Sepal number
- 5
- Sepal orientation
-
- the sepals are pressed against the corolla, or jutting stiffly upward
- the sepals are slightly curved outwards from the corolla
- Sepal relative length
- the sepal lobes are approximately the same length as the fused portion
- Sepal shape
-
- the sepal outline is oblong (rectangular, but with rounded ends)
- the sepal outline is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Sepal texture
- the sepals are either very thin but flexible, like a membrane, or they are leaf-like in texture
- Sepal tip shape
-
- the sepal tip is acute (is sharply pointed)
- the sepal tip is obtuse (is bluntly pointed)
- Sepal uniformity
- all the sepals are about the same size
- Sepals fused only to sepals
-
- the sepals are fused to each other (not other flower parts), at least near their bases
- 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 length
- 4–7 mm
- Stamen lengths differ
- the stamens are all approximately the same length
- Stamen morphology
- the stamens within each cycle are the same
- Stamen number
- 10
- 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
- 6–9 mm
- Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
- Style relative length
- the stigma protrudes 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
- 3–3.5 mm
- Fruit length relative to sepals
- the fruit is longer than its associated sepals
- Fruit locules
- five
- Fruit shape
-
- the fruit is flat or strongly compressed
- the fruit is spherical
- Fruit stalk orientation
- the fruits curve or droop downwards
- 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
- 4.2–5 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 parietal placentation, where ovules develop on the wall or slight outgrowths of the wall forming broken partitions within a compound ovary
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed length
- 0.5–0.6 mm
- Seed relative length
- the seed is longer than it is wide
- 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
- 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 not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Plants darken when dry
- no
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Bracteole edges
- NA
- Bracteole length
- 0 mm
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracteole shape
- NA
- Bracteoles
- 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 bract texture
- the floral bracts are thin, dry and papery, possibly with a narrow green stripe at the center
- Floral bracts
- the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
- Flower bract length
- 4–12 mm
- Hairs on leaf stalk
- the petiole has no hairs on it
- Hairs on underside of leaf
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
- no
- Inflated hairs on leaf
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is rounded
- Leaf blade base symmetry
- the leaf blade base is symmetrical
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade flatness
-
- the edges of the leaf are curled under
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
- Leaf blade length
- 16–80 mm
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
- the secondary veins branch off at intervals from the primary vein
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is orbicular (roughly circular, as wide as long)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
-
- the upper side of the leaf blade has obvious spots, mottles or stripes
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade texture
- the leaf blade is coriaceous (has a firm, leathery texture)
- Leaf blade vein pattern
- the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)
- Leaf blade width
- 16–70 mm
- Leaf duration
- the leaves remain green all winter
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf hair orientation
- NA
- Leaf shiny
- the upper side of the leaf is very shiny
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade
- Leaf stalk base
- the petiole base is narrow where it attaches to the stem
- Leaf stalk length
- 8–70 mm
- Leaf teeth and lobes
- the leaf blade margin has rounded teeth
- Leaf tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is retuse (blunt or rounded, with a notch at the tip)
- the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point
- Leaf tufts in axils
- there are no clusters of smaller leaves growing out of axils
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf types
- There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).
- Leaf variation
- NA
- Leaflet number
- 4–7
- Leaflet petiolules
- NA
- Leaves per node
- the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (i.e., basal)
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
- 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
- the plant has a pleasant smell, for example anise, fruit, mint or resin
-
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
- Hair between stem nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Hairs between stem nodes
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
- Leaves on stem
- the flowering stem has no leaves above the base
- Length of hairs between stem nodes
- 0 mm
- Plant height
- 10–30 cm
- Stem bloom
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem hair distribution
- NA
- Stem nodes swollen
- the stem is not swollen at the nodes
- Stem orientation
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
- Stem roughness between nodes
- the stem does not feel rough
- Stem spacing
- the plant is solitary, or a few plants are growing together
- Stem succulence
- the stems are not succulent
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
- Wings on stem
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)
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
1. Pyrola americana Sweet N
American shinleaf. Pyrola asarifolia Michx. ssp. americana (Sweet) Krísa; P. rotundifolia L. ssp. americana (Sweet) Clausen; P. rotundifolia L. var. americana (Sweet) Fern. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Dry-mesic to mesic forests.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Pyrola asarifolia:
- petals pink to pale purple, sepals triangular, overlapping at the base, thin, nerveless or obscurely nerved (vs. P. americana, with petals white, sepals oblong or ovate-oblong, not overlapping at the base, firm, 3- to 5-nerved).
- Pyrola elliptica:
- leaf blades mostly elliptic to oblong, usually longer than the associated leaf stalk, and sepals about 25% as long as the petals (vs. P. americana, with the leaf blades mostly broad-elliptic to circular, approximately as long as the associated leaf stalk, and sepals 33-60% as long as the petals).
Synonyms
- Pyrola asarifolia ssp. americana (Sweet) Krísa
- Pyrola rotundifolia L. ssp. americana (Sweet) Clausen
- Pyrola rotundifolia L. var. americana (Sweet) Fern.