Pyrola elliptica

Nutt.

Shinleaf

G5Secure Found in 44 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.139029
Element CodePDPYR04040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderEricales
FamilyEricaceae
GenusPyrola
Other Common Names
Pyrole elliptique (FR) Wax-flowered Shinleaf (EN) Wax-flowered Wintergreen (EN) Waxflower Shinleaf (EN) waxflower shinleaf (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-09-20
Change Date1984-04-16
Edition Date2024-09-20
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Pyrola elliptica is a perennial subshrub of dry and moist forests of northern North America from British Columbia south to Idaho, east to North Carolina, and north to Newfoundland and Labrador in the United States and Canada, and disjunct in New Mexico and Arizona. There are over 3,000 occurrences of this species, which are threatened by land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent, a high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, Pyrola elliptica is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Pyrola elliptica occurs in northern North America from British Columbia south to Idaho, east to North Carolina, and north to Newfoundland and Labrador in the United States and Canada (FNA 2009). Disjunct populations also occur in Arizona and New Mexico. Range extent was estimated to be over 5 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, NatureServe Network occurrence data, and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2034, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are more than 3,000 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices are low-level threats to this species (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Pyrola elliptica occurs in moist to dry forests and rich hardwood forests (FNA 2009, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - Hardwood
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS5Yes
New BrunswickS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS2Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
British ColumbiaS3Yes
AlbertaS4Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
Prince Edward IslandS5Yes
ManitobaS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
VermontS5Yes
IowaS1Yes
North CarolinaS1Yes
WyomingS2Yes
MontanaS4Yes
OhioSNRYes
District of ColumbiaSHYes
North DakotaSNRYes
NebraskaS1Yes
MaineSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
New JerseyS4Yes
West VirginiaS4Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
WisconsinSNRYes
VirginiaS1Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
DelawareS2Yes
IdahoSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
IndianaS3Yes
ArizonaSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownUnknownUnknown

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (44)
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Minnesota (5)
AreaForestAcres
Baker - Homer - Brule LakesSuperior National Forest6,712
Brule Lake - Eagle MountainSuperior National Forest12,380
Cabin CreekSuperior National Forest6,071
Kawishiwi Lake To SawbillSuperior National Forest15,305
Tait LakeSuperior National Forest6,327
Montana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Lebeau RA 1507Flathead National Forest5,450
New Hampshire (14)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,766
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
JobildunkWhite Mountain National Forest3,660
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
WatervilleWhite Mountain National Forest4,312
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
Pennsylvania (2)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Hearts ContentAllegheny National Forest221
Vermont (6)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Lye Brook Addition 09085Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,111
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Woodford 09086Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests2,456
Virginia (4)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Mountain Lake Addition CJefferson National Forest494
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
West Virginia (5)
AreaForestAcres
East Fork Of GreenbrierMonongahela National Forest7,167
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
Wisconsin (5)
AreaForestAcres
09011 - Flynn Lake Study AreaChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest5,951
09012 - Round Lake Study AreaChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest3,707
09154 - St. Peters DomeChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest4,002
09177 - Le Roy CreekChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest8,138
09182 - Pentoga RoadChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest5,008
Wyoming (1)
AreaForestAcres
Piney CreekBighorn National Forest22,240
References (8)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2009. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 8. Magnoliophyta: Paeoniaceae to Ericaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 585 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
  8. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.