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Taxonomy of Monotropa uniflora
Sub Class - Metachlamydeae
Order - Ericales
Family - Monotropaceae
Genus - Monotropa
Species- uniflora
(Gray's Manual of Botany 1950)
The name is derived from the Greek "monos" meaning one and "tropos" meaning turn. As you can see from the images the flower appears to nod on the end of the stem, thus giving one turn.
While researching this species there was some confusion in determining the correct taxonomy, some books gave it the family pyrolaceae. This taxonomy has been some what outdated since the discovery of the symbiotic relationship between this species and a species of mycorrhiza. There is also a taxonomy which includes Monotropa uniflora in the same family as azaleas which is the family Ericaceae.
Common Names: Convulsion root, Fits-root, Indian
pipe, Corpse plant
Ghost plant, and Ice plant
Names in other languages: ova-ova (American Indians),
Einbluthige Monotropa (Germanic Languages),
Ginryo-so-modoki, Yurei-somodoki (Oriental)
(Nancy Baker, 1971)
This plant does not photosynthesize thus it lacks the distinctive coloration of other fauna, i.e. green. The color ranges between white (translucent), pink, pale blue, and gray. The height of the plant is 1-3 dm and flowers are roughly 1.5-2 cm long.
The plant itself is leafless, with the leaves having
evolved in scales protruding from the stalk. The flowers are perfect,
solitary, and nodding (except when fertilized, then they are erect).
There are usually two to four sepals, and five to six petals which are
somewhat dilated at the apex. There are 10-12 stamens, their anthers
are 2-valved. The hypogynous disk is 10-12 toothed. Ovary is
five celled, stylets are very short and stigma is funnel form. (P. A. Rydberg,
Ph. D.)
EcoIndiana:
A site pertaining to flora and information on
Indiana
Floridata:
Floridata(TM) is the first in a series of electronic publications
produced by Scheper Interactives for gardeners and for everyone who
enjoys plants and the outdoors.
Bigeastern:
A site with a mosaic of differnt links to areas such as art,
ecology, and personal web pages
A
good link to taxonomy related to Monotropa and others in the subclass
Link
to an article about Monotropa and other related plants
Site in Espanol