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

Shinleaf, White Pyrola, White-vein Pyrola, White-vein Shinleaf, Whiteveined Wintergreen,White-veined Wintergreen

Pyrola picta

Synonyms: Pyrola aphylla, Pyrola aphylla var. leptosepala, Pyrola aphylla var. paucifolia, Pyrola blanda, Pyrola conardiana, Pyrola dentata, Pyrola dentata var. apophylla, Pyrola dentata var. integra, Pyrola pallida, Pyrola paradoxa, Pyrola picta ssp. dentata, Pyrola picta ssp. integra, Pyrola picta ssp. pallida, Pyrola picta var. aphylla, Pyrola picta var. dentata, Pyrola picta var. picta, Pyrola septentrionalis, Pyrola sparsifolia

Shinleaf, White Pyrola, White-vein Pyrola, White-vein Shinleaf, Whiteveined Wintergreen, White-veined Wintergreen: Pyrola picta (Synonyms: Pyrola aphylla, Pyrola aphylla var. leptosepala, Pyrola aphylla var. paucifolia, Pyrola blanda, Pyrola conardiana, Pyrola dentata, Pyrola dentata var. apophylla, Pyrola dentata var. integra, Pyrola pallida, Pyrola paradoxa, Pyrola picta ssp. dentata, Pyrola picta ssp. integra, Pyrola picta ssp. pallida, Pyrola picta var. aphylla, Pyrola picta var. dentata, Pyrola picta var. picta, Pyrola septentrionalis, Pyrola sparsifolia)

Shinleaf, White Pyrola, White-vein Pyrola, Whiteveined Wintergreen, White-veined Wintergreen: Pyrola picta (Synonyms: Pyrola aphylla, Pyrola aphylla var. leptosepala, Pyrola aphylla var. paucifolia, Pyrola blanda, Pyrola conardiana, Pyrola dentata, Pyrola dentata var. apophylla, Pyrola dentata var. integra, Pyrola pallida, Pyrola paradoxa, Pyrola picta ssp. dentata, Pyrola picta ssp. integra, Pyrola picta ssp. pallida, Pyrola picta var. aphylla, Pyrola picta var. dentata, Pyrola picta var. picta, Pyrola septentrionalis, Pyrola sparsifolia)
The photo at right shows a close-up of the inflorescence of white-veined pyrola. Photographed along the trail to Lambertson Butte, Mt. Hood Wilderness...........August 14, 1998.
Characteristics:

White-veined pyrola is an attractive perennial wildflower with short, sterile stems with several leaves and single, erect flower stems from 15-30 cm high from slender, spreading rhizomes. The leaves are ovate or oval in shape with obtuse tip lightly toothed margins. The blade is 3-7 cm long and dull green with broad white markings or mottling along the veins. The petioles are slightly shorter to about as long as the blade. The flower stems are typically reddish-brown in color and often leafless at the base.

The inflorescence is an elongate raceme of 10-25 pendant to spreading flowers. The spreading pedicels are 4-8 mm long and subtended by lanceolate bracts about as long. The sepals are greenish to reddish in color and much shorter than the petals. The yellowish, cream, or greenish-white to purplish petals are 6-8 mm long. The style is strongly curved downward.

Habitat:

White-veined pyrola may be found in dry coniferous forests.

Range:

White-veined pyrola may be found from British Columbia south to southern California and east to the Rocky Mts. of Montana and south to Colorado.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 1000'-4200' from Bridal Veil in the west eastward to the upper Major Creek Plateau.

Basal leaves of Shinleaf, White Pyrola, White-vein Pyrola, Whiteveined Wintergreen, White-veined Wintergreen: Pyrola picta (Synonyms: Pyrola aphylla, Pyrola aphylla var. leptosepala, Pyrola aphylla var. paucifolia, Pyrola blanda, Pyrola conardiana, Pyrola dentata, Pyrola dentata var. apophylla, Pyrola dentata var. integra, Pyrola pallida, Pyrola paradoxa, Pyrola picta ssp. dentata, Pyrola picta ssp. integra, Pyrola picta ssp. pallida, Pyrola picta var. aphylla, Pyrola picta var. dentata, Pyrola picta var. picta, Pyrola septentrionalis, Pyrola sparsifolia) - Shinleaf, White Pyrola, White-vein Pyrola, Whiteveined Wintergreen, White-veined Wintergreen: Pyrola picta (Synonyms: Pyrola aphylla, Pyrola aphylla var. leptosepala, Pyrola aphylla var. paucifolia, Pyrola blanda, Pyrola conardiana, Pyrola dentata, Pyrola dentata var. apophylla, Pyrola dentata var. integra, Pyrola pallida, Pyrola paradoxa, Pyrola picta ssp. dentata, Pyrola picta ssp. integra, Pyrola picta ssp. pallida, Pyrola picta var. aphylla, Pyrola picta var. dentata, Pyrola picta var. picta, Pyrola septentrionalis, Pyrola sparsifolia)

Close-up images of the leaves and inflorescence of white-veined pyrola. Photographed along the trail to Lambertson Butte, Mt. Hood Wilderness...........August 14, 1998. The photo illustrates why this species was named "white-veined" pyrola.
Paul Slichter