Plant: Perennial rhizomatous, scapose herbs or sub-shrubs Leaves: alternate, simple, generally leathery, clustered in false yearly whorls; blades ovate, elliptic, to obovate (1-)2-4(-6) cm long; margins entire to crenate; petioles generally shorter than blades SCAPES: bracteate, under 20 cm tall, the bracts lanceolate to narrowly oblong or obovate, generally longer than the pedicels Inflorescence: inflorescence a one-sided drooping raceme, minutely papillate Flowers: drooping, actinomorphic, bell-like; sepals ovate, generally about 1 mm long, the tips blunt, the margins finely erose; petals greenish to cream-white, (4-)4.5-5.5(-6) mm long, with two basal tubercles on upper side; filaments narrow; anther sacs minutely papillate, 1.3-2.0 mm long, without tubes, the sacs open at the ends; pollen grains single, ellipsoid; disk present; style straight, exserted; stigma peltate, with 5 small marginal lobes Fruit: FRUITS 5-locular drooping capsules with fibers connecting opened valves; fruiting axis becomes erect at maturity NOTES: Coniferous forest: Apache, Coconino, Graham, Greenlee, Pima? cos.; 2100-3400 m (7000-11000 ft); Jul-Aug; widespread in N. Hemisphere; across Canada s to CA and NM, ne to SD and in ne states, also in Mex. and Guatemala. REFERENCES: Haber, Erich. 1992. Pyrolaceae. Ariz.-Nev. Acad. Sci. 26(1)2.