North Carolina Wildflowers, Shrubs, & Trees

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Ericaceae>Monotropa

Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora) Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)
Buncombe Co., NC
8 July 2006

Common statewide in NC in various forested habitats. This species is saprophytic, meaning it gets its nutrition from decomposing material in the soil and forest floor, and therefore it lacks chlorophyll.

Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora) Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)
Watauga Co., NC
23 July 2006

The flowers turn upright during fruit development and maturation.

Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora) Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)
Dutchess Co., NY
5 Aug 2008
Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora) Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)
Dutchess Co., NY
5 Aug 2008
Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora) Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)
Dutchess Co., NY
5 Aug 2008

Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


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Created on May 7, 2006 | jspippen@duke.edu