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MONTANA FIELD GUIDE™

MONTANA FIELD GUIDE™

 

Indian-pipe - Monotropa uniflora

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Native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S4
(see State Rank Reason below)
C-value: 7


Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:


 





State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Monotropa uniflora is occasional in mesic, conifer forests in western Montana. Population levels are poorly documented but believed to be sufficiently large enough that its viability is not a concern. No significant and widespread threats to the species are known.
Indian-pipe (Monotropa uniflora) Conservation Status Summary
State Rank: S4
Review Date = 10/01/2026
See the complete Conservation Status Rank Report
How we calculate Conservation Status Ranks
 
General Description
Achlorophyllous, mycotrophic, firm-fleshy, perennial herb. Stems erect, to 30 cm, unbranched, waxy-white, aging to coal-black; dead stalks hardened, often persisting into the next growing season. Leaves bract-like, alternate, sessile, ovate, white. Inflorescence a solitary, terminal, nodding flower, becoming erect in fruit. Flowers hypogynous, waxy-white, 5-merous; sepals lacking; uppermost stem bracts are sepal-like (sepaloid); petals separate, oblong-spatulate; stamens 10; ovary superior. Fruit an ovoid, 5-chambered capsule (Stickney in Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Species Range
Montana Range Range Descriptions
Range in Montana
Montana Natural Heritage Program Logo
Native
 


Range Comments
Boreal and temporate forests of North America. The Neotropical range is disjunct from the primary North American range, and includes Mexico to SW Colombia. In the Neotropics, it grows in moist forests of Pinus, Abies, and Quercus at elevations of 950-3400 m.

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 81
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Relative Density

Recency

 

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)



Habitat
Moist, deeply-shaded coniferous forests; valleys, montane (Stickney in Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).


References
  • Literature Cited AboveLegend:   View Online Publication
    • Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
  • Additional ReferencesLegend:   View Online Publication
    Do you know of a citation we're missing?
    • Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
  • Web Search Engines for Articles on "Indian-pipe"
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Citation for data on this website:
Indian-pipe — Monotropa uniflora.  MONTANA FIELD GUIDE™.  .  Retrieved on , from