Chimaphila umbellata, the umbellate wintergreen, pipsissewa, or prince's pine, is a small perennial flowering plant found in dry woodlands, or sandy soils. It is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere.
This plant grows up to 35 cm (12 in) tall, with one simple stem bearing evergreen, shiny, toothed leaves in opposite pairs or whorls of 3-5 (and sometimes more) along the stem. Leaves have a slightly spiny serrulate margin starting close to the base, and range from 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches long (or longer) with a typically oblanceolate shape. Flowers range from white to pink, produced in a small umbel of 4–8 together. The filaments have a roundish expansion at the base, bearing hairs along the margin only. In comparison, the closely related C. menziesii bears hairs on the back of the filament's expansion as well.[2]
Close-up on flowerFruit of C. umbellata subsp. occidentalis
Ecologyedit
Although it has green leaves year-round, it receives a significant portion of its nutrition from fungi in the soil (that is, it is a partial myco-heterotroph, which is not surprising as related plants, such as Pyrola, are partial or full myco-heterotrophs).[3]
The twentieth century Appalachian folk healer Clarence "Catfish" Gray, "Man of the Woods", credited pipsissewa with curing his own heart problems and included it in his 15 herb cure-all "bitters."[5]
It can reportedly be used as a flavoring in candy and soft drinks, particularly root beer.[6]
The roots and leaves of Chimaphila umbellata can be boiled to create tea.[7]
Recent investigations show the anti-proliferative effect of Chimaphila umbellata in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). [8]
Nameedit
"Pipsissewa" is a Cree name meaning "It-breaks-into-small-pieces".
Referencesedit
^NatureServe (2024). "Chimaphila umbellata". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
^Jepson, Willis Linn. "A Flora of California". ucjeps.berkeley.edu. University of California, Berkeley. pp. 47–48. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
^Leho Tedersoo; Prune Pellet; Urmas Kõljalg; Marc-André Selosse (March 2007). "Parallel evolutionary paths to mycoheterotrophy in understorey Ericaceae and Orchidaceae: ecological evidence for mixotrophy in Pyroleae". Oecologia. 151 (2): 206–217. Bibcode:2007Oecol.151..206T. doi:10.1007/s00442-006-0581-2. PMID 17089139. S2CID 12529846.
^Patterson, Patricia A. (1985). Field Guide to the Forest Plants of Northern Idaho(PDF). United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. pp. 37–47.
^Das, N., Samantaray, S., Ghosh, C., Kushwaha, K., Sircar, D. and Roy, P., 2021. Chimaphila umbellata extract exerts anti-proliferative effect on human breast cancer cells via RIP1K/RIP3K-mediated necroptosis. Phytomedicine Plus, p.100159.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chimaphila umbellata.
Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) • iNaturalist
Flora Europaea: Chimaphila umbellata distribution
Jepson Manual treatment – Chimaphila umbellata
USDA Plants Profile: Chimaphila umbellata
January 01, 1970
chimaphila, umbellata, umbellate, wintergreen, pipsissewa, prince, pine, small, perennial, flowering, plant, found, woodlands, sandy, soils, native, throughout, cool, temperate, northern, hemisphere, conservation, status, secure, natureserve, scientific, class. Chimaphila umbellata the umbellate wintergreen pipsissewa or prince s pine is a small perennial flowering plant found in dry woodlands or sandy soils It is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere Chimaphila umbellata Conservation status Secure NatureServe 1 Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Asterids Order Ericales Family Ericaceae Genus Chimaphila Species C umbellata Binomial name Chimaphila umbellata L Barton Contents 1 Description 2 Ecology 3 Taxonomy 4 Uses 5 Name 6 References 7 External linksDescription editThis plant grows up to 35 cm 12 in tall with one simple stem bearing evergreen shiny toothed leaves in opposite pairs or whorls of 3 5 and sometimes more along the stem Leaves have a slightly spiny serrulate margin starting close to the base and range from 1 to 2 inches long or longer with a typically oblanceolate shape Flowers range from white to pink produced in a small umbel of 4 8 together The filaments have a roundish expansion at the base bearing hairs along the margin only In comparison the closely related C menziesii bears hairs on the back of the filament s expansion as well 2 nbsp Close up on flower nbsp Fruit of C umbellata subsp occidentalisEcology editAlthough it has green leaves year round it receives a significant portion of its nutrition from fungi in the soil that is it is a partial myco heterotroph which is not surprising as related plants such as Pyrola are partial or full myco heterotrophs 3 Taxonomy editThere are four subspecies Chimaphila umbellata subsp umbellata Europe Asia Chimaphila umbellata subsp acuta southwestern North America Chimaphila umbellata subsp cisatlantica northeastern North America Chimaphila umbellata subsp occidentalis northwestern North AmericaUses editSome Plateau Indian tribes used a boil of prince s pine to treat tuberculosis 4 The twentieth century Appalachian folk healer Clarence Catfish Gray Man of the Woods credited pipsissewa with curing his own heart problems and included it in his 15 herb cure all bitters 5 It can reportedly be used as a flavoring in candy and soft drinks particularly root beer 6 The roots and leaves of Chimaphila umbellata can be boiled to create tea 7 Recent investigations show the anti proliferative effect of Chimaphila umbellata in human breast cancer cells MCF 7 8 Name edit Pipsissewa is a Cree name meaning It breaks into small pieces References edit NatureServe 2024 Chimaphila umbellata Arlington Virginia Retrieved 28 March 2024 Jepson Willis Linn A Flora of California ucjeps berkeley edu University of California Berkeley pp 47 48 Retrieved 2023 07 27 Leho Tedersoo Prune Pellet Urmas Koljalg Marc Andre Selosse March 2007 Parallel evolutionary paths to mycoheterotrophy in understorey Ericaceae and Orchidaceae ecological evidence for mixotrophy in Pyroleae Oecologia 151 2 206 217 Bibcode 2007Oecol 151 206T doi 10 1007 s00442 006 0581 2 PMID 17089139 S2CID 12529846 Hunn Eugene S 1990 Nch i Wana The Big River Mid Columbia Indians and Their Land University of Washington Press p 352 ISBN 978 0 295 97119 3 Green E 1978 A Modern Appalachian Folk Healer Appalachian Journal 6 1 2 15 Chimaphila umbellata www fs usda gov Retrieved 2023 07 28 Patterson Patricia A 1985 Field Guide to the Forest Plants of Northern Idaho PDF United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service pp 37 47 Das N Samantaray S Ghosh C Kushwaha K Sircar D and Roy P 2021 Chimaphila umbellata extract exerts anti proliferative effect on human breast cancer cells via RIP1K RIP3K mediated necroptosis Phytomedicine Plus p 100159 Blanchan Neltje 2005 Wild Flowers Worth Knowing Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chimaphila umbellata Pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata iNaturalist Flora Europaea Chimaphila umbellata distribution linnaeus nrm se range map with the different subspecies of the Chimaphila umbellata complex Jepson Manual treatment Chimaphila umbellata USDA Plants Profile Chimaphila umbellata Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chimaphila umbellata amp oldid 1216033031, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
