Orthilia secunda

One-sided Wintergreen

One-sided Wintergreen
aka Pyrola secunda, Sidebells Wintergreen, One-sided Pyrola, Sidebells. The key chariacteristic is, of course, that the flowers are all on the same side of the stem which is 2″ – 8″ (8 – 20 cm) tall. The leaves, round to oval and usually less than an inch long, occupy the lower half of the stem. The small flower, hardly more than 1/4″ has five petals with a protruding style which unlike most wintergreens is straight rather than curved (see Pink Wintergreen). Woods and along trails below 5,500′ elevation.

Family:

Ericaceae - HEATH FAMILY

Genus:

Orthilia means 'straight spiral'

Species:

secunda from secund meaning 'one-sided'
Photo location: From several locations including Glacier Basin trail, Comet Falls trail, and South Tahoma Creek.