The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links
Elliottia pyroliflora

copperbush

Habit Shrubs, 0.5–3 m, ± spreading; older twigs with copper-colored, shreddy bark, twigs of current season green, glabrous or sparsely hairy.
Leaves

alternate or seemingly whorled at ends of twigs;

petiole 1–4 mm;

blade elliptic to oblanceolate, (1.5–)2–5 × 0.6–1.4 cm, base cuneate, margins flat, apex mucronate, surfaces glaucous.

Inflorescences

terminal, solitary flowers or 2–3-flowered cymes, 2–4 cm;

bracts leaflike, lanceolate, 10–15 mm, margins entire.

Pedicels

5–10 mm, with 1–2, persistent bracteoles distally.

Flowers

calyx lobes 5, lanceolate, 7–10 × 2–4 mm, apex acute, ciliate along margins especially basally;

corolla 5-lobed, petals pinkish or copper colored, narrowly elliptic, 10–15 mm;

stamens 8(–10);

filaments glabrous;

anthers 1.7–2 mm;

style (persisting in fruit), curved or recurved, 10–12 mm.

Capsules

5–6-parted, spheroidal, 5–8 mm, finely pitted, glabrous.

Seeds

0.5–0.8 mm, testa with conspicuous cells.

2n

= 22.

Elliottia pyroliflora

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat Moist, coniferous forests and associated habitats in mountainous regions with cool temperatures and high rainfall, especially stream banks, bog edges, tree clumps, and forest edges in subalpine parkland
Elevation 0-2500 m (0-8200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Elliottia pyroliflora has a wider geographic and elevational range than E. racemosa; it is considered difficult to grow.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 8, p. 474.
Parent taxa Ericaceae > subfam. Ericoideae > Elliottia
Sibling taxa
E. racemosa
Synonyms Cladothamnus pyroliflorus, Leiophyllum pyroliflorum
Name authority (Bongard) Brim & P. F. Stevens: J. Arnold Arbor. 59: 336. 1978 ,
Web links