Hypopitys monotropa Crantz

Pinesap; False Beechdrops; Many Flower Indian Pipe

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Pinesap is a native achlorophyllous perennial herb in the Heath family (Ericaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Pinesap occurs in dry to mesic pine or mixed pine-hardwood forests, in scrub oak woods, in sandhills, and in Longleaf pine forests. Pinesap for most of the year exists as short, stubby roots surrounded by and connected to a mass of mycorrhizal fungal hyphae. The fungal hyphae are in turn connected to the roots of conifers. The Pinesap obtains sugars produced by photosynthesis in the conifer by way of these fungal connections. So, Pinesap is a parasite, indirectly parasitizing the conifer by way of the fungal connection. In late spring or autumn 1 to several yellow or red stems emerge from the soil. Plants that flower in the spring tend to be yellow in color while those that flower in the autumn tend to be red in color. It is possible that there are several cryptic species currently lumped into this one entity. The stems are from 1-5 inches in height. The stems are pubescent, glandular, or glabrous and have sessile, clasping, rounded scale-like leaves along their length. Flowers are produced in secund racemes of 3-15 flowers. The flowers are nodding with 0-5 sepals and 4-5 petals. The flowers are yellow to red in color and fragrant. The fruit is a capsule. After pollination, the stem straightens so that the capsule is held erect. The small seed have membranous wings. Pinesap is easily damaged. Damaged portions of the plant become black in color. Pinesap is similar to, but smaller than Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora Linnaeus). It often occurs in the same habitat, but is much less common. Until recently this plant was known by the name Monotropa hypopithys Linnaeus. Pinesap is listed as an S2 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state), and globally as a G5 species (demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in p

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Native S2 (State Rank) G5 (Global Rank)

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