It appears that this is the only Pyrola species in the San Gabriels but for a long time these plants were listed as P. picta. Pyrola dentata is a species that ranges as far north as British Columbia. One of its common names is Nootka wintergreen, so named because it was thought originally to have been first collected by Archibald Menzies on Nootka Island. However an article by Erich Haber (Taxon 34(3):462, 1985) states that "Menzies' journal for 1792 suggests that the probable collection site is Nipple Summit on West Redonda Island off the mainland coast of British Columbia. It is at the same latitude as Nootka, but about 150 km to the east." Although plants farther north may have toothed leaf margins, our San Gabriel plants are almost all entire-margined, but the picture on the right from near Vincent Gap shows dentate leaves. The flower picture in the middle was taken at Mt. Waterman on 6/28/08. |
