SWEET WINTERGREEN.
_Pyrola elliptica._
THE familiar name “Wintergreen” is applied by the Canadians to many
species of dwarf evergreen plants without any reference to their natural
affinities. The beautiful family of Pyrolas share this name in common
with many other charming forest flowers in reference to their evergreen
habit.
Every member of this interesting family is worthy of special notice.
Elegant in form and colouring, of a delicate fragrance and enduring
verdure, they add to their many attractions the merit of being almost
the first green thing to refresh the eye long wearied by gazing on the
dazzling snow for many consecutive months of winter.
As the dissolving crust disappears from the forest beneath the kindly
influence of the transient sunbeams of early spring, the deep
glossy-green shoots of the hardy Pyrolas peep forth, not timidly, as if
afraid to meet
“The snow and blinding sleet;”
not shrinking from the chilling blast that too often nips the fair
promise of April and May, but boldly and cheerfully braving the worst
that the capricious season has in store for such early risers.
All bright, and fresh, and glossy, our Wintergreens come forth as though
they had been perfecting their toilet within the sheltering canopy of
their snowy chambers, to do honour to the new-born year just awakening
from her icy sleep.
_P. elliptica_ forms extensive beds in the forest, the roots creeping
with running subterranean shoots which send up clusters of evergreen
leaves, slightly waved and scalloped at the edges, of a deep glossy
green and thin in texture.
The name Pyrola is derived from a fancied likeness in the foliage to
that of the Pear, but this is not very obvious, nevertheless we will not
cavil at it, for it is a pretty sounding word, far better than many a
one that has been bestowed upon our showy wild flowers, in compliment to
the person that first brought them into notice.
The pale-greenish white flower of our Pyrola forms a tall terminal
raceme, the five round petals are hollow; each blossom set on a slender
pedicle, at the base of which is a small pointed bract; the anthers are
of a reddish orange colour, the stamens ascending in a cluster, while
the long style is declined, forming a figure somewhat like the letter J.
The seed vessel is ribbed berry-shaped, slightly flattened and
turbinate; when dry, the light chaffy seeds escape through valves at the
sides. The dry style in this and most of the genus remain persistent on
the capsule.
The number 5 prevails in this plant; the calyx is 5 parted; petals 5;
stamens 10, or twice five; stigma one, but 5 rayed; 5 knobs or tubercles
at the apex; seed-vessel 5-celled and 5-valved. The flowers are
generally from 5 to 10 on the scape. Most of our Pyrolas are remarkable
for the rich fragrance of their flowers, especially _P. rotundifolia_,
_P. elliptica_, _P. incarnata_ and _P. minor_.
These flowers are, for the most part, found in rich woods, some in low
wet ground, but a few prefer the drier soil of piny forests, and one of
the finest and most fragrant of the species grows freely on grassy
uplands, the larger flowered _P. rotundifolia_ (round-leaved Pyrola).
The exquisitely beautiful evergreen plant known by Canadian settlers as
_Prince’s Pine_ is a member of the family of Pyrola. From root to summit
this plant is altogether lovely. The leaves are dark, shining and
smooth, evergreen and finely serrated; the stem of a bright rosy-red;
the delicately pink-tinted flowers look as if moulded from wax; the
anthers are of a bright amethyst-purple, set round the emerald-green
turbinated stigma. The flowers are not many, but form a loose corymb
springing from the centre of the shining green leaves. There is scarcely
a more attractive native plant than the _Chimaphila umbellata_ in our
Canadian flora.
The leaves of this beautiful Wintergreen are held in high estimation by
Indian herbalists who call it RHEUMATISM WEED, (_Pipissewa_). It is
bitter and aromatic in quality.
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