[The Heath Family in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Pinedrops, Woodland Pinedrops

Pterospora andromedea

A close-up of the inflorescence of woodland pinedrops as seen at left along the Pacific Crest Trail about 1.5 miles north of Big Huckleberry Mountain, Gifford Pinchot National Forest............August 31, 2013. The photo at right shows a close-up of the inflorescence of pinedrops as seen along the Butte Camp Trail #238A under old growth forest above Butte Camp Meadows, Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument......August 11, 2022.

Characteristics:

Pinedrops are an interesting, attractive wildflower species with stout, fleshy stem from 20-120 cm high. The stems are solitary or often in clusters and they are yellowish to reddish brown in color as well as unbranched. The stems are noticeably glandular-pubescent. The leaves are awl-shaped and up to 2-4 cm long with fringed margins.

The numerous flowers are part of a long, loose raceme which is equal in length to the lower stem. The pedicels are slender and decurved and subtended by much-reduced linear bracts. The calyx is about half as long as the corolla and is covered with sticky, gland-tipped hairs. The glabrous corolla is ovoid in shape and is broadest near the base, tapering gradually to the tip. The corolla is 5-8 mm long and pale yellow in color. Plants are saprophytes and lack chlorophyll.

Habitat:

Pinedrops are found in deep humus soils of coniferous forests from the lowlands to well up into the mountains. In the Pacific Northwest, it is often found beneath Ponderosa pines.

Range:

Pinedrops may be found from Alaska south to southern California and east to the Atlantic Coast. In the Rocky Mts. it is found southward to Mexico.

Pinedrops as seen along the Juniper Ridge Trail, Dark Divide, Gifford Pinchot National Forest...........September 13, 2014.

The stalks of pinedrops beginning to rise out of the ground at left along the Butte Camp Trail #238A, Mount Saint Helens National Monument.........June 9, 2015. The photo at right shows the inflorescence of pinedrops in forest along the Shortcut Trail #171A into the Indian Racetrack, Indian Heaven Wilderness.....October 10, 2022.

Paul Slichter