From the Greek cheima, “winter weather,” and phelein, “to love,” from its evergreen habit and referring to one of the common names, wintergreen aka pipsissiwa or prince’s pine
Species
umbellata
Refers to the arrangement of the flowers which arise in a head from a central point, i.e. bearing an umbel
Pipsissewa is a low flowering evergreen plant native to the cooler parts of the
Northern Hemisphere. Like many forest floor plants that have to make do with limited
light, they complement energy from photosynthesis with that from another source, in this case
from soil fungi. They are myco-heterotrophs—they parasitize the fungi. They are
common in coniferous or mixed forests, with acid, thin, sandy soils.
Plants: 4-14″ (10-35 cm) tall, with an umbel
of flowering stalks above.
Leaves: Leaves are shiny, toothed, and wider toward
the far ends.
They are arranged in a whorl, or in opposite pairs, around the stem.
Flowers: White or pink, in groups of two to eight.
The flowers hang downward, and are ½-¾″ (1.3-1.9 cm) around. Each flower has
five petals that are pink at first, turning white, but remaining pink at the base. It has
ten stamens.
Fruits: Upright capsules ⅛-3/16″ (4-6 mm) around, with five sections.
They are reddish
brown, drying to a dark brown and remaining through the winter. They split open to release seeds.
Edibility: Leaves can be used as tea or a flavoring for root beer.
Medical: Pipsissewa has a number of unproven uses
for kidney and bladder problems, cystitis and edema, and regulation of menstrual cycles.
Although plants are not toxic unless used for a long period, neither do they have any confirmed medical uses.