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- Hypopitys monotropa
Hypopitys monotropa — yellow pine-sap
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Facts
The yellow pine-sap is a mycotroph, which is to say it is a parasitic plant that obtains all its nutrients by stealing them from the roots of a tree. It does this not by entering the host directly, but through a fungal intermediary. Like other mycotrophs, yellow pine-sap has no green tissues.
Habitat
Forests, woodlands
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Flower petal color
-
- orange
- pink to red
- yellow
- Leaf type
-
- NA
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
-
- NA
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
-
- NA
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
-
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Stamen number
-
- 10
- 8
- 9
- Stem nodes swollen
- NA
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 6–10 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther attachment
- the anther is attached near its midpoint to the filament
- Anther length
- 0.8–1.5 mm
- Anther opening
- the anthers have small holes or openings at the tips
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Anther tube length
- 0 mm
- Calyx growth after flowering
- the calyx does not grow to cover or partially cover the fruit
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpel hairs
- the carpels have no hairs
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cilia on petals
- the petal margins have cilia
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla morphology
- NA
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament length
- 7–14 mm
- Filament surface
- the filament has rough hairs or scales on it
- Flower appearance
- the flowers appear at the same time as the leaves
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium
- Flower length
- 8–18 mm
- Flower number
- 2–16
- Flower orientation
- the flower bends downwards or hangs downwards
- Flower petal color
-
- orange
- pink to red
- yellow
- Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
-
- the style is knob-like at the tip, and unbranched
- the style is lobed at the tip, and unbranched
- Fringed petal edges
-
- the petals are fringed
- the petals are not fringed
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Hairs on flower stalk
-
- the flower stalk has hairs on it
- the flower stalk has no hairs on it
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower does not have a hypanthium
- Hypanthium length
- 0 mm
- Inflorescence length
- 50–320 mm
- Inflorescence one-sided
-
- the flowers are all or nearly all arrayed on one side of the inflorescence axis or branches of the inflorescence
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Interior flower disk
- the flower has an interior disc
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of branches in umbel
- 0
- Number of carpels
- 4–6
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
-
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 1
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Perianth shape
-
- the perianth is another shape
- the perianth is campanulate (bell-shaped, with a tube about as long as wide, flaring at the mouth)
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
-
- orange
- pink to red
- yellow
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal base
- the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal glandular dots or scales
- no
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal hairs on inner/upper surface
- there are hairs on the inner/upper petal surface
- Petal length
- 8–17 mm
- Petal length relative to sepals
- the petals are longer than the sepals
- Petal nectaries
- the petals do not have nectaries
- Petal number
- 4–5
- Petal shape
- the petal outline is oblong (rectangular, but with rounded ends)
- Petal tip shape
-
- the petal tip is acute (sharply pointed)
- the petal tip is rounded
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Petal width
- 4–8 mm
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- no
- Sepal and petal color
- the petals and sepals are similar
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal auricles
- the sepals have no auricles
- Sepal color
-
- other
- pink to red
- white
- yellow
- Sepal features
- NA
- Sepal length
- 7–12 mm
- Sepal number
- 0–5
- Sepal orientation
- the sepals are pressed against the corolla, or jutting stiffly upward
- Sepal relative length
- NA
- Sepal shape
-
- the sepal outline is eliiptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the sepal outline is spatulate (roughly spoon-shaped; narrow near the base, suddenly widening to a rounded tip)
- Sepal texture
- the sepals are fleshy or spongy
- Sepal tip shape
-
- the sepal tip is acuminate (tapers to a very narrow point)
- the sepal tip is acute (is sharply pointed)
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spur length
- 0 mm
- Spur number
- NA
- Stamen appendages
- stamen appendages are absent
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals
- Stamen lengths differ
- the stamen lengths are other than the choices given
- Stamen morphology
- the stamens within a cycle differ in length or width
- Stamen number
-
- 10
- 8
- 9
- Stamen position relative to petals
- NA
- Stamen relative length
- anything
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not attached to one another
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Stigma position
- the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style
- Style length
- 2–10 mm
- Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
- Style relative length
- the stigma does not protrude beyond the mouth of the corolla
- Surface of ovary
- the ovary surface has no points, bumps or wrinkles
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule ribs
-
- the capsule has five prominent ribs or wings
- the capsule has four prominent ribs or wings
- Capsule splitting
-
- the capsule splits by five main valves, teeth or pores
- the capsule splits by four main valves, teeth or pores
- Carpel beak length
- 0 mm
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit cross-section
- the fruit is round in cross-section
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 6–10 mm
- Fruit length relative to sepals
- the fruit is longer than its associated sepals
- Fruit locules
-
- five
- four
- six or more
- Fruit shape
-
- the fruit is ellipsoid (widest in the middle and tapering to each end)
- the fruit is spherical
- Fruit stalk orientation
- the fruits point upward or spread or curve outward
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Fruit width
- 4–8 mm
- Hair type on fruit
- the hairs on the fruits are simple (not branched), don’t have glands, and are not woolly
- Hairs on fruit
- the fruits have hairs on them
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- Ovary stipe length
- 0 mm
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has axile placentation, in which the ovules are attached where the septa of a compound ovary are united, usually on the central axis, or to the septa themselves
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed length
- 0.5–1 mm
- Seed relative length
- the seed is longer than it is wide
- Seed surface
- the seed is covered with reticulate markings (a netlike pattern due to splitting and rejoining of lines or ridges)
- Seeds comose
- no hairs
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Wings on fruit
- the fruit does not have wings on it
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
-
- NA
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Horizontal rooting stem
- the plant does not have stolons
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Parasitism
- the plant is a parasite of fungi (mycoheterotrophic)
- Plant color
- the plant lacks green pigments, even on the leaves or young stems
- Plants darken when dry
- yes
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- there are only slender roots on the plant
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracteoles
-
- the plant has bracteoles between the primary bracts and the flowers
- there are no bracteoles on the plant
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Floral bracts
- the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
- Flower bract length
- 7–15 mm
- Hairs on leaf stalk
- NA
- Hairs on underside of leaf
- NA
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
- NA
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
-
- NA
- no
- Inflated hairs on leaf
-
- NA
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
- Leaf arrangement
-
- NA
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- NA
- the leaf has no stalk
- the leaf has no stalk and at the base it clasps the stem
- Leaf blade base shape
- NA
- Leaf blade base symmetry
- NA
- Leaf blade bloom
-
- NA
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
-
- NA
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf blade flatness
-
- NA
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
- NA
- Leaf blade length
- 5–13 mm
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
- NA
- Leaf blade shape
-
- NA
- the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
-
- NA
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade texture
- NA
- Leaf blade vein pattern
- NA
- Leaf blade veins
- NA
- Leaf blade width
- 0 mm
- Leaf duration
-
- NA
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf folding in bud
- NA
- Leaf form
-
- NA
- the leaves are small and thin and lack leaf stalks
- Leaf hair orientation
- NA
- Leaf sheath length
- 0 mm
- Leaf shiny
- NA
- Leaf spines
-
- NA
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- NA
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- NA
- Leaf stalk base
- NA
- Leaf stalk length
- 0 mm
- Leaf teeth and lobes
-
- NA
- the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)
- Leaf tip
-
- NA
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point
- Leaf tufts in axils
- NA
- Leaf type
-
- NA
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf types
- NA
- Leaf variation
-
- NA
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Leaflet petiolules
- NA
- Leaves per node
-
- NA
- there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
-
- NA
- the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipels
- NA
- Stipule edges
- NA
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipule fused to leaf stalk
- NA
- Stipule length
- 0 mm
- Stipule shape
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- forests
- woodlands
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Direction of stem hairs
- NA
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular
- Flowering stem width
- 1–10 mm
- Hair between stem nodes
-
- NA
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
- Hairs between stem nodes
- NA
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
-
- NA
- no
- Leaves on stem
-
- the flowering stem has no leaves above the base
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Length of hairs between stem nodes
- 0 mm
- Plant height
- 5–32 cm
- Stem bloom
-
- NA
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem hair distribution
- NA
- Stem nodes swollen
- NA
- Stem orientation
-
- NA
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
- Stem roughness between nodes
-
- NA
- the stem does not feel rough
- Stem spacing
-
- NA
- the plant is solitary, or a few plants are growing together
- Stem succulence
- NA
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
- Wings on stem
-
- NA
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
2. Hypopitys monotropa Crantz N
yellow pine-sap. Hypopitys americana (DC.) Small; Monotropa hypopithys L. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT; nearly throughout. Forests, woodlands, frequently associated with Pinus and/or Quercus.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Monotropa uniflora:
- stem without hairs, with a single flower (vs. H. monotropa, with the stem hairy, with 2-16 flowers in a raceme).
Synonyms
- Hypopitys americana (DC.) Small
- Hypopitys lanuginosa (Michx.) Nutt.
- Monotropa hypopithys L.