[Wintergreens: The Genus Pyrola in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Lesser Wintergreen, Snowline Pyrola

Pyrola minor

Synonyms: Braxilia minor, Erxlebenia minor, Pyrola minor var. parviflora

Inflorescence of Lesser Wintergreen, Snowline Pyrola: Pyrola minor (Synonyms: Braxilia minor, Erxlebenia minor, Pyrola minor var. parviflora) - Inflorescence of Lesser Wintergreen, Snowline Pyrola: Pyrola minor (Synonyms: Braxilia minor, Erxlebenia minor, Pyrola minor var. parviflora)

Leaf of Lesser Wintergreen, Snowline Pyrola: Pyrola minor (Synonyms: Braxilia minor, Erxlebenia minor, Pyrola minor var. parviflora)The photo at right shows the broad basal leaf of lesser wintergreen.
Characteristics:

Also known as lesser pyrola, common wintergreen is a perennial wildflower with a single flower scape arising from 10-20 cm high from a cluster of several basal leaves atop spreading, slender rhizomes. The thin leaves are bright green, broadly elliptic, oblong or obovate in shape and 15-25 mm long with the petiole about as long. The leaf base is rounded to slightly heart-shaped.

The inflorescence is a crowded raceme of 5-20 flowers. Individual flowers are 5-7 mm wide. The pinkish calyx lobes are wide with obtuse to acute tips. The petals are about 3 mm long and pale pink to rose in color. The style is typically 1-2 mm long and included within the corolla. The filaments are thin and flattened and anthers are ovate in shape and about 1 mm long.

Habitat:

Common wintergreen may be found in coniferous forests at lower altitudes in the mountains.

Range:

Common wintergreen may be found from Alaska south to southern California and east to the Atlantic Coast. It is found south in the Rocky Mts. to Colorado. In Oregon, it is found in the Cascade, Warner and Blue Mts. The species is also found in Eurasia.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found at an elevation of 3200' in the middle Gorge.

Paul Slichter