Pinedrops

Pinedrops

Taxobox
name = Pinedrops


image_width = 180px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Ericales
familia = Ericaceae
genus = "Pterospora"
genus_authority = Nutt.
species = "P. andromedea"
binomial = "Pterospora andromedea"
binomial_authority = Nutt.

Pinedrops is the common name for the plant "Pterospora andromedea" of the family Ericaceae; it is the only species in the genus "Pterospora".citeweb|url=http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PTAN2|title=Pterospora andromedea Nutt. woodland pinedrops|accessdate=2008-08-15] It grows in coniferous or mixed forests in heavy soil. It is native to North America from southern Canada to the mountains of Mexico and is most commonly found in the western half of the continent, though small populations are found in the northeast United States and eastern Canada.

The visible portion of "Pterospora andromedea" is an unbranched flower spike (raceme) generally 30-100 cm in height, though it has been reported to occasionally attain a height of 2 meters. The above-ground stalks are usually found in small clusters between June and August. The stalks are hairy and feel somewhat sticky to the touch. They have scale-like structures that are described by some authorities as vestigial leaves or sterile bracts. The upper portion of the red stalk has a series of yellowish, bell-shaped flowers that face downward. [citeweb|url=http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/abstracts/botany/pterospora_andromedea.pdf|title = Pterospora andromedea Nutt. pine-drops|accessdate=2008-08-15]

"Pterospora andromedea" is a particularly interesting plant due to its lack of visible chlorophyll (trace amounts were identified by Cummings and Welschemeyer in 1998, but not enough to provide energy for the plant or to color it). They exist for most of their lifecycle as a mass of brittle, but fleshy, roots. The mass is rarely greater than 7 cm in diameter, and between 10-40 cm under the soil surface. They live in relationship with mycorrhizal fungi that is not yet well understood, described as either parasitic or symbiotic upon the fungus by different experts. Whatever the exact relationship, they derive all their carbon from their associated fungus, which entirely covers the outside surface of the roots. They are thus usually described as mycorrhizal heterotrophs or myco-heterotrophs.

They live in association with a very limited number of fungi including "Rhizopogon subcaerulescens, R. arctostaphyli", and "R. salebrosus". A note of caution: unlike plants, fungi are not yet well categorized and so species' names are likely to change frequently as more research is done and the genus "Rhizopogon" is particularly hard to taxonomically categorize. "Pterospora" has yet to be discovered with any species outside the genus "Rhizopogon".

ee also

* Corallorhiza

References

External links

* [http://www.newfs.org/docs/pdf/Pterosporaandromedea.pdf "Pterospora andromedea" Nutt. Pinedrops]


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  • pinedrops — ☆ pinedrops [pīn′dräps΄ ] n. pl. pinedrops a purplish red, leafless plant (Pterospora andromedea) of the heath family, with white flowers: it is parasitic on the roots of pines …   English World dictionary

  • Pinedrops — Pine drops , n. (Bot.) A reddish herb ({Pterospora andromedea}) of the United States, found parasitic on the roots of pine trees. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pinedrops — /puyn drops /, n., pl. pinedrops. 1. a slender, leafless, parasitic North American plant, Pterospora andromedea, having nodding white to red flowers, found growing under pines. 2. beechdrops. [1855 60, Amer.; PINE1 + DROP + S3] * * * …   Universalium

  • pinedrops — ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun plural but singular or plural in construction 1. : a purplish brown leafless saprophytic plant (Pterospora andromedea) of the family Pyrolaceae with racemose drooping white flowers 2. : beechdrops * * * /puyn drops /, n., pl.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • pinedrops — noun plural but singular or plural in construction Date: 1857 1. a purplish brown leafless saprophytic plant (Pterospora andromedea) of the wintergreen family with racemose drooping white flowers 2. beechdrops …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • pinedrops — pine•drops [[t]ˈpaɪnˌdrɒps[/t]] n. pl. drops pln a slender, leafless parasitic North American plant, Pterospora andromedea, with nodding white to red flowers: grows under pines • Etymology: 1855–60, amer …   From formal English to slang

  • Pterospora andromedea — Pinedrops Pine drops , n. (Bot.) A reddish herb ({Pterospora andromedea}) of the United States, found parasitic on the roots of pine trees. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Operation Arbor — Kernwaffentest Operation Arbor Nation Vereinigte Staaten  Vereinigte Staaten Testort Nevada Test Site Zeitraum 1973 1974 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Pterospora andromedea — ID 68973 Symbol Key PTAN2 Common Name woodland pinedrops Family Monotropaceae Category Dicot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AZ, CA, CO, ID, MI, MT, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OR, PA, SD, TX, UT, VT,… …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • List of Canadian plants by family M — Main page: List of Canadian plants by familyFamilies: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I J K | L | M | N | O | P Q | R | S | T | U V W | X Y Z Magnoliaceae * Liriodendron tulipifera tulip tree * Magnolia acuminata cucumber magnolia Malvaceae *… …   Wikipedia

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