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Monotropsis reynoldsiae (A.Gray)A.Heller
Pigmypipes
Florida Pygmy Pipes
Synonym(s): Monotropsis odorata
Florida native
Endemic to Florida
Endangered Florida species
A rare plant of mesic hammocks on both coasts of north-central Florida. Recorded in Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, St. Johns and recently(in 2008) Volusia County.
Differentiated from the genus Monotropa by having petals that are united over half their length. They lack chlorophyll and only appear above ground when flowering on fleshy shoots with reduced scale-like leaves.
This family of plants, sometimes listed as a subfamily of the Ericaceae, are myco-heterotropic - utilizing a fungal intermediate to obtain nutrients from photosynthetic plants.
Pygmypipes found in Florida had until only recently been considered the species Monotropsis odorata which ranges through the southeastern United States south of the Mason-Dixon line and west into Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama. Now all Florida pygmypipes are considered a separate endemic species. Monotropsis reynoldsiae. The species is named in honor of Mary Collins Reynolds(1852-1936) who collected this plant in December 1884. Reynolds lived in St. Augustine and published a number of articles mostly on ferns found in east Florida.
Monotropsis reynoldsiae is a member of the Monotropaceae - Indian Pipe family.
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Feb 29, 2024
