Chimaphila maculata
Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 300. 1813 ,.
Plants rhizomatous, 1–5.3 dm. Leaves: petiole 3–13 mm, terete or channeled adaxially, glabrous; blade maculate, dull and light green abaxially, shiny and green to dark green with white achlorophyllous tissue bordering larger veins adaxially, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate or ovate, 20–100 × 8–31 mm, base rounded to obtuse or acute, margins coarsely serrate, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences (1–)2–5-flowered; peduncle 1(–2) per stem, 4–19 cm, papillose to hispidulous; inflorescence bracts acicular to linear-lanceolate, free portions shorter than pedicels from which they arise, 4–6 × 0.4–0.6 mm, membranous, margins entire. Pedicels (4–)8–25 mm. Flowers: calyx lobes spreading or reflexed in fruit, entirely greenish or margins whitish green, broadly ovate, 1.4–4.1 × 1.3–4.5 mm, margins erose-denticulate, apex rounded to obtuse; petals white or pink, often tinged violet, orbiculate, 6–12 × 4.5–8 mm, margins fimbriate to erose-denticulate; stamens 6–8 mm; filament base 1.2–1.6 mm wide, dilated basal portion densely villous; anthers 2–4 mm, thecae white to tan or pinkish, tubules tan to pinkish brown, 0.8–1.1 mm, abruptly narrowed from thecae, lateral walls not touching, pores 0.3–0.5 × 0.3–0.5 mm; ovary papillose in lines; style 0.5–1 mm; stigma 2–3.5 mm wide. Capsules depressed-globose, 5–10 × 5–10 mm. 2n = 26.
Phenology: Flowering May–Jul(-Aug).
Habitat: Coniferous, mixed, and deciduous forests, xeric sand communities
Elevation: 0-900 m
Distribution
Ont., Que., Ala., Ariz., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Mexico, Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama), introduced in Europe (France).
Discussion
Chimaphila maculata exhibits considerable morphologic variation, which does not appear to be correlated with geography.
Selected References
None.