shinleaf
Pyrola elliptica
Its common name comes from the historical practice of using its leathery, evergreen leaves as a 'shin-plaster' to soothe bruises and scrapes.
- Scientific name
- Pyrola elliptica
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Ericales › Ericaceae › Pyrola
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Dry to moist deciduous and coniferous forests, often in sandy or acidic soils
- Diet
- Mixotrophic (combines photosynthesis with nutrient uptake from mycorrhizal fungi)
- Range
- North America, Canada, Northern United States
- Size
- 15 to 30 cm tall
- Lifespan
- Perennial (individual colonies can persist for decades via underground rhizomes)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, forest clearing, and displacement by invasive understory plants
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This delicate forest plant is safe to observe from any distance. While historically used in folk medicine for its aspirin-like compounds, do not harvest or consume wild specimens, as some look-alikes can be toxic and wild populations should be left undisturbed.
Pyrola elliptica , known as shinleaf , shinleaf pyrola , waxflower shinleaf , elliptic shineleaf and white wintergreen is a species of heath.
Photo: Tom Norton, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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