The Siskiyou Wild Rivers area in southwestern Oregon is one of the few regions in the lower 48 with such extraordinary biodiversity. Check out this week's "prince" of a flower.

Prince's Pine, Chimaphila umbellata

Prince's Pine, Chimaphila umbellata is not a pine, but grows at middle and upper elevations under pines, firs and other conifers—blooming well into August in the higher elevations.  In Greek cheima means “winter” and philos means “loving” in description of these (non-deciduous) evergreen plants.

The pinkish-red, thick petalled flowers look almost as though they are made of wax or some kind of soft plastic. Turn the nodding pinkish flowers upward and you will see the 5 petalled flower has 10 stamens that radiate like the spokes of a wheel around a huge hub of a fat green ovary, that is capped by a flat sticky stigma.

Prince’s Pine is pollinated by various small fly species, although it is speculated that it might also be pollinated by night flying moths—attracted by their faint, pleasant perfume. Note also the very outer tips of the dark red, tubed anthers that release their pollen through small, but visible pores—a characteristic of many plants in the Heath Family.

Another common name, “Pipsissewa”, is perhaps better applied to Prince's Pine's similar, but more diminutive cousin, Chimaphila menziesii, which usually has solitary, or at most only 2 or 3 flowers.  In contrast, Chimaphila umbellata with leaves that tend to be wider near the tips than at the base, have 3 to 10 flowers on each blooming stalk.  The other common name, Pipsisseaw, is from a similar sounding Cree Indian name for the plant.  The leaves were used as a tea by both natives and early pioneers.