[Indian-pipes and Pinesaps: The Monotropa of the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Indianpipe, Indian Pipe, One-flower Indian-pipe

Monotropa uniflora

Synonyms: Monotropa brittonii, Monotropa morisoniana

Indianpipe, Indian Pipe, One-flower Indian-pipe: Monotropa uniflora (Synonyms: Monotropa brittonii, Monotropa morisoniana)

Indian pipe as seen along the Eagle Creek Trail, Columbia River Gorge........August 2, 2012.

Indianpipe, Indian Pipe, One-flower Indian-pipe: Monotropa uniflora (Synonyms: Monotropa brittonii, Monotropa morisoniana)Characteristics:

Attractive due to its ghostly color and presence in mostly dark places on the forest floor, indian pipe is a saprotroph. It typically consists of clusters of erect, unbranched stems arising 10-30 cm high from a dense clump of matted roots. The stems are white or occasionally pinkish and becomes black after flowering. The leaves along the stem are scale-like and are linear, lanceolate or ovate in shape.

The single flower is up to 2 cm long and nods before and while in bloom, later becoming erect in fruit. The 2-4 sepals are lanceolate in shape and deciduous. The 5 or 6 petals are oblong, overlapping and tardily deciduous and lined within with hairs. The style is included within the corolla and the stigma is discoid-lobed. 10-12 stamens are present.


Habitat:

Indian pipe is found in humus soils in dark, shaded woods.


Range:

Indian pipe may be found from Alaska south to northern California and east to the Atlantic Coast.

It may be found between the elevations of 100'-2200' from near Bridal Veil and Cape Horn east to the western edge of the major Creek Plateau.


Indianpipe, Indian Pipe, One-flower Indian-pipe: Monotropa uniflora (Synonyms: Monotropa brittonii, Monotropa morisoniana)

The photo above shows the ghostly indian pipe as seen along the Angels Rest Trail, Columbia River Gorge........June 24, 1990.

Paul Slichter