[Heathers: The Genus Phyllodoce East of the Cascade Mts. of Oregon and Washington]

Red Mountain-heather, Red Mountain Heather, Pink Mountain-heath

Phyllodoce empetriformis

Synonym: Menzesia empetriformis

Red Mountain-heather, Red Mountain Heather, Pink Mountain-heath: Phyllodoce empetriformis (Synonym: Menzesia empetriformis)

Red mountain-heather as seen in moist meadows at the east end of Maxwell Lake, Eagle Cap Wilderness..........August 3, 2016.

Characteristics:

Also known as red or rose mountain heather, pink mountain heather is an attractive perennial shrublet with many branched, erect to decumbent stems from 10-30 cm high. The numerous stem leaves are oblong, spreading and 6-9 mm long with the margins rolled inwards toward the upper side, which effectively makes the leaves appear narrower than they are. The blades are shiny green above and glandular below. The leaves are persistent.

The inflorescence is a terminal corymb of 5-8 flowers which are nodding to spreading. The slender, erect petioles are 8-20 mm long and curve outwards at their apex. They are covered with glandular hairs. The calyx is dark red and lobed nearly to the base. The calyx lobes are broadly ovate with obtuse tips. The pink to deeply rose-colored corollas are broadly bell-shaped and 5-8 mm long with short, reflexed lobes at the tips. The 10 stamens are hidden within the corolla while the style is exserted from the mouth of the corolla (See photos.). The anthers are red while the ovary is covered with short, yellow and glandular hairs. This species may hybridize with P. glanduliflora when plants of both species are in close proximity to one another.


Habitat:

Pink mountain heather may be found in clearings near timberline and in alpine meadows in the mountains.


Range:

Pink mountain heather may be found from Alaska south through the higher mountains to California and east to Idaho and Montana.


Flowers of Pink Mt. Heather, Rose Mt. Heather, Pink Mountain-heath: Phyllodoce empetriformis

The photo above shows a close-up view of the flowers and glandular pedicels of red mountain-heather as seen along the southern edge of the Takh Takh lava flow at the western end of Takh Takh meadows at the northwestern corner of Mt. Adams...........June 21, 2005.

Inflorescence of Pink Mt. Heather, Rose Mt. Heather, Pink Mountain-heath: Phyllodoce empetriformis - Pink Mt. Heather, Rose Mt. Heather, Pink Mountain-heath: Phyllodoce empetriformis

Close-up views of the flowers and glandular pedicels of red mountain-heather as seen along the southern edge of the Takh Takh lava flow at the western end of Takh Takh meadows at the northwestern corner of Mt. Adams...........June 21, 2005.

Paul Slichter