26. MONÓTROPA, L. Indian Pipe. Pine-sap.
Calyx of 2–5 lanceolate bract-like scales, deciduous. Corolla of 4 or 5 separate erect spatulate or wedge-shaped scale-like petals, which are gibbous or saccate at the base, and tardily deciduous. Stamens 8 or 10; filaments awl-shaped; anthers kidney-shaped, becoming 1-celled, opening across the top. Style columnar; stigma disk-like, 4–5-rayed. Capsule ovoid, 8–10-grooved, 4–5-celled, loculicidal; the very thick placentæ covered with innumerable minute seeds, which have a very loose coat.—Low and fleshy herbs, tawny, reddish, or white, parasitic on roots, or growing on decomposing vegetable matter like a Fungus; the clustered stems springing from a ball of matted fibrous rootlets, furnished with scales or bracts in place of leaves, 1–several-flowered; the summit at first nodding, in fruit erect. (Name composed of μόνος, one, and τρόπος, turn, from the summit of the stem turned to one side.)
§ 1. MONOTROPA proper. Plant inodorous, 1-flowered; calyx of 2–4 irregular scales or bracts; anthers transverse, opening equally by 2 chinks; style short and thick.
1. M. uniflòra, L. (Indian Pipe. Corpse-plant.) Smooth, waxy-white (turning blackish in drying, 3–8´ high); stigma naked.—Dark and rich woods, nearly throughout the continent. June–Aug. (Asia.)
§ 2. HYPÓPITYS. Plant commonly fragrant; flowers several in a scaly raceme; the terminal one usually 5-merous, the rest 3–4-merous; bract-like sepals mostly as many as the petals; anthers opening by a continuous line into 2 very unequal valves; style longer than the ovary, hollow.
2. M. Hypópitys, L. (Pine-sap. False Beech-drops.) Somewhat pubescent or downy, tawny, whitish, or reddish (4–12´ high); pod globular or oval; stigma ciliate.—Oak and pine woods, from Canada to Fla., west to Oregon. June–Aug. (Eu.)
Order 59. DIAPENSIÀCEÆ.
Low perennial herbs or suffruticulose tufted plants, glabrous or nearly so, with simple leaves, no stipules, regular 5-merous flowers (except the 3-celled ovary), stamens adnate to the corolla and sometimes monadelphous (those opposite its lobes when present reduced to staminodia); pollen simple; loculicidal capsule and seeds of Ericaceæ.—Flowers solitary or racemose. Style 1, with 3-lobed stigma. Distinguished from the Ericaceæ chiefly by the insertion of the stamens upon the corolla.
Tribe I. DIAPENSIEÆ. Dwarf woody evergreens, with small entire crowded coriaceous leaves. Staminodia none; filaments adnate to the campanulate corolla up to the sinuses; anthers 2-celled. Calyx conspicuously bracteolate. Flowers solitary.
1. Pyxidanthera. Flowers sessile on short leafy branchlets. Anther-cells awn-pointed at base, opening transversely.