Monotropa uniflora
(Above image courtesy of Marty Lucas http://www.bigeastern.com/)



Content links

 Taxonomy and Common names

 Link to Genus page

 Identification

 Geographical Locations

Natural History of the plant

How to find the plant

 Bibliography

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 Links to other sites



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  This taxonomy has been some what outdated since the discovery of the symbiotic relationship between this species and a species of mycorrhiza.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)
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Identification of Monotropa uniflora

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.)
 

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Related Sites and Useful Links

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

 Monotropa en Espanol