Pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata Heather family (Ericaceae)
Pipsissewa is a member of the Wintergreen Family whose members are mostly shrubs. Plant is aromatic, and an extract from its leaves is used to flavor candy and soft drinks. Native Americans used Pipsissewa for a wide range of ailments including typhus. It was also used during the Civil War to treat rheumatism and kidney disorders. Pipsissewa is said to be Cree for "breaks into pieces," a possible reference to its use in treating and kidney stones.
Low shrub, 4-11" tall, with woody stems near base and overall waxy appearance. Pink-to-rose flowers are nodding with 5 petals and 10 that surround a green . Leaves are leathery, waxy with margins, on stem. are round , dark rose in color.
An evergreen tree retains a large portion of its green leaves all year.
stamen -- the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower;
The stamen consists of an anther supported by a filament.
capsule -- a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. In
most cases the capsule splits apart to release seeds.
Like the teeth on a saw, leaves and other surfaces can have toothed edges.
fruit -- any seed-bearing structure in flowering plants.
It is formed from the ovary after flowering.
gall -- An abnormal bulbous formation on plant leaves or stems.
An ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower. Above the ovary is the style and the stigma, which is where the pollen lands and germinates to grow down through the style to the ovary.
whorled -- The leaves are arranged in whorls of 3 or more leaves along the stems of a plant.
