Orthilia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Orthilia |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Orthilia
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| Species: |
secunda
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| Synonyms | |
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Pyrola secunda |
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Orthilia is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the Ericaceae family, which also includes plants like blueberries and heather. There is only one species in this group, called Orthilia secunda.
You might know this plant by its common names like sidebells wintergreen, one-sided-wintergreen, or serrated-wintergreen. People also call it one-sided pyrola or one-sided shinleaf. It used to be grouped with other wintergreen plants in the Pyrola genus.
This plant grows in many cool, northern parts of the world. You can find it across the Northern Hemisphere. Just remember, the American wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) is a different plant, even though it shares a similar name!
How This Plant Gets Its Food
Orthilia secunda is a very interesting plant because it's a mixotroph. This means it gets its food in more than one way. Most plants make all their own food using sunlight, but Orthilia secunda is different.
About half of the carbon (which is like food for plants) that Orthilia secunda needs comes from tiny underground helpers. These helpers are special fungi that connect to the plant's roots.
These fungi get their carbon from nearby trees. Then, Orthilia secunda takes that carbon from the fungi through its own roots. It's like a shared food system underground! Scientists have not seen the plant giving nutrients back to the fungi in this special relationship.
Where This Plant Needs Help
Sadly, Orthilia secunda is facing some challenges in the United States. In some states, it is becoming very rare or has even disappeared.
- In Maryland, it is listed as endangered or completely gone (extirpated).
- It is also gone (extirpated) from Indiana.
- In Ohio, it is thought to be gone (presumed extirpated).
- It is listed as threatened in Iowa and Rhode Island.
- In Connecticut, it is a special concern and believed to be gone (extirpated).
Traditional Uses of This Plant
For a long time, people have used Orthilia secunda for different purposes. The Southern Carrier people, who live in the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, had a special use for the root.
They would make a strong liquid from the root, called a decoction. This liquid was then used as an eyewash. Some other Native Americans also used the leaves of this plant. They would crush the leaves to make a soft, moist paste called a poultice. This poultice was often used on the skin.
