Orthilia secunda : One-sided Wintergreen

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Pyrolaceae (Wintergreen Family)

Genera: Orthilia (Orthilia)

Species: secunda (Lat. secundus= following second; reffering to secund flower cluster, flowers on one side only.)

Synonym(s): Pyrola secunda

English Name(s):

One-sided Wintergreen, Sidebells, Nodding Wintergreen

First Nation Names:

Structure:

• Stems 5-20cm tall with 2-5 bracts (leaflets). from slender creeping rhizomes (underground stems).
• Leaves scatered on lower half of stem.

Leaves:

• Short petioled (stalked), 1-2cm.
• Blade, 1.5-4cm long by 1-3 cm wide, oblong ovate in shpape, with an acute (pointed) tip.
• Margins crenulate to serrate.

Reproductive Parts:

• Infloresence (flower cluster) one-sided. Made of a 2-9 flowered raceme (flowering stalk).
• Flowers small whitish green.
• Sepals 0.6-1mm long, broadly triangular, with fine teeth.
• Petals 4-6mm long edges with tiny teeth, greenish white.
• Anthers (male parts), stalkless pores at tip.
• Styles (female parts), staight, 5-7mm long, protruding from the flower, lacking a ring below the stigma (tip).

Seed:

• Furit is a dry capsule

Not to Be Confused With:

• Distinguished from the Pyrola species by its one sided infloresence and its non-basal leaves.

Physiology:

• The filaments of the stamens are curved into an "S" shape and are in a high state of tention. The anthers are held in position by their petals with the pores directed upwards. When an insect visits the bell shaped flower, it moves the petals, thereby releasing the stamens. The anthers are thus tiped and pour a little pollen onto the insect to be carried to another flower.

Life Cycle:

• Perennial

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves evergreen
• Finnished blooming by 3rd week of July.

Animal Uses:

• The fragrant flowers are pollenated by insects.

Habitat:

• Moist thickets and woodlands to tundra and heathlands.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

• Leaves were also chewed to relieve tooth aches.
• Leaves were mixed with lard to make a salve that was applied to cuts for 3 days to stop bleeding and promote healing. (Chipewyan)
• Roots were used as a strong decoction for an eye wash (Southern Carrier)

Food: