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Taxon  Report  
Monotropa uniflora  L.
Ghost pipe
Monotropa uniflora is a perennial herb (mycoparasitic) that is native to California, and also found elsewhere in North America and beyond.
California Rare Plant Rank: 2B.2 (rare, threatened, or endangered in CA; common elsewhere).
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Observation Search
~30 records in California
yellowone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
DJJJASONAFMM

Bloom Period
Genus: Monotropa
Family: Ericaceae  
(Monotropaceae)
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Wetlands: Occurs usually in non wetlands, occasionally in wetlands

Communities: Redwood Forest, Mixed Evergreen Forest

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + CNPS + PLANTS + POWO

Alternate Names:
PLANTSMonotropa brittonii
Information about  Monotropa uniflora from other sources
Nursery availability from CNPLX
Commercial availability unknown.
Jepson eFlora

USDA PLANTS Profile (MOUN3)

Photos on Calflora

Photos on CalPhotos

Google Images

Photos on iNaturalist

ID Tips on PlantID.net

[Wikipedia] Description, Pollination, Taxonomy, Ecology, Toxicity, Uses, Cultural References: The plant is waxy white, but some specimens have been described as having black flecks or pale pink coloration.[3] Rare variants may have a deep red color. The name "Monotropa" is Greek for "one turn" and "uniflora" is Latin for "one flowered" as there is one sharply curved stem for each single flower. M.uniflora is commonly found growing in clumps of 2 or more, with its fungal source nearby. The seeds of M. uniflora are small, ranging between 0.6 to 0.8 mm in length.[8] Once the plant has been pollinated, the seeds are pushed through the petals in a tiny slit and dispersed via wind methods. Taxonomy: It was formerly classified in the family Monotropaceae, but is now included within the Ericaceae. It is of ephemeral occurrence, depending on the right conditions (moisture after a dry period) to appear full grown within a couple of days. Ecology: The flowers of M. uniflora are visited by various bee and fly species, most commonly bumblebees.[13] Bumblebees are an important pollen dispersal agent for the plant, crawling into the flower for pollen. It is often associated with beech trees.[11] Toxicity: The plant contains glycosides and may be toxic to humans.[15] Uses{ In addition to various reported medical uses,[15] the plant has been used as an anxiolytic in herbal medicine since the late 19th century.[16] This may be due to the plant containing salicylic acid.[17] Walter H. Prest described the plant as having an asparagus-like flavor once cooked.[18] Cultural References{ M. uniflora has been featured in several pieces from renowned American poet Emily Dickinson.[19] The Cherokee of North America feature the "pipe plant" in some of their creation stories. The legend states that the plant was named "Indian pipe" due to a group of chiefs quarreling without resolution, while passing a pipe around during the dispute; the Great Spirit then turned the chiefs into the plant, as they should have smoked the sacred pipe after making peace with each other. The plant is said to grow wherever friends have quarreled.[20][21][22] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2025. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 02/16/2025).