Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Striped Pipsissewa, Striped Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Ericales>Pyrolaceae>Chimaphila maculata (L.) Pursh

This fairly common subshrub of the forest floor blooms in early summer. The evergreen leaves have a white stripe along the central vein, giving it one of its common names, Striped Wintergreen. This is not the best common name, since it leads to confusion with Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens. Chimaphila maculata is common throughout NC. Another species, C. umbellata, has all-green leaves and is found in a few counties in the central Piedmont and northern Coastal Plain.

Orange Co., NC 6/23/05.

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