Orthilia secunda var. secunda
one-sided wintergreen
Ericaceae (Crowberry family)
(Previously in Pyrolaceae)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Ian Cumming     (Photo ID #5251)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Orthilia secunda var. secunda
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial, slightly woody herb from a rhizome, often forming colonies; stems usually single, 5-20 cm tall.
Leaves:
Evergreen, basal and stem leaves, often crowded towards base, egg-shaped to egg-shaped elliptic, 1.5-6 cm long, 1-2.5 (3) cm wide; round- to sharp-toothed or nearly entire, blunt to rounded at base, tips usually pointed; stalks 1-2 cm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a crowded 4- to 20-flowered one-sided raceme, arching, flowers radially symmetric, erect in bud, drooping in flower, 5-6 mm wide; flower stalks 2-8 mm long; bracts linear-lanceolate; petals 5, distinct, somewhat closed, 4-6 mm long, greenish or white, each with 2 small tubercles on the inner surface near the base; sepals 5, 0.5-1 (1.5) mm long, with jagged margins; stamens 10; filaments slender, about equaling the petals; anthers about 1.4 mm long, with terminal pores, tubes lacking; styles 3-4 mm long, exserted, straight or nearly so; stigmas 5-lobed.
Fruits:
Capsules, depressed globe-shaped, to 5 mm wide.
Notes:
Two varieties occur in BC:

1. Racemes mostly more than 10-flowered; petals greenish yellow; leaves elliptic to egg-shaped, pointed, and lustrous .......................................... var. secunda

1. Racemes usually 4- to 10-flowered; petals creamy white; leaves circular, blunt, and hardly lustrous .......... .......................................... var. obtusata Turcz.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Orthilia secunda var. secunda

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
515 515 515
Slope Gradient (%)
3 3 3

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

0
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
6 6 6
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
1
Modal BEC Zone Class
IDF

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

IDF(1)

Habitat and Range

Dry to mesic forests in the lowland, montane, and subalpine zones; frequent in SC BC, common elsewhere in BC; circumboreal, N to AK, YT, and NT, E to NF and S to S CA, MX, SD, OH, and VA; Eurasia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Orthilia secunda subsp. secunda