Features: Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata) is an evergreen perennial herb that usually grows in dry, mixed coniferous and deciduous forests (e.g., associations of Red Oak, Quercus rubra, and White Pine, Pinus strobus). The leaves, which are in a whorled arrangement, are dark green and prominently marked with white on the mid-vein. The waxy flowers are white or pink and very fragrant. In traditional aboriginal medicine this plant served as a substitute for the related Pipsissewa plant (Chimaphila umbellata) which was used as a blood purifier, and to treat backache, stomach ache, sore eyes and other afflictions.

Status: Endangered Provincially and Nationally

Range: Spotted Wintergreen has a widespread distribution in eastern North America, extending from Maine through southern Ontario and Michigan, south to Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. It also occurs in Mexico and Central America. It is generally rare or uncommon in northern parts of its range, and, in Canada, occurs only in two widely separated regions of southern Ontario. Range Maps

Threats: The species has declined because of forest clearance throughout much of its range.

Protection: The Spotted Wintergreen is listed under Ontario's Endangered Species Act, 2007, which protects the species and its habitat. The Natural Heritage component of the Provincial Policy Statement under Ontario's Planning Act provides for the protection of significant habitat of endangered species. Attempts to grow stock for restoration purposes have been unsuccessful to date.

Text Sources: Kirk 1987

Last Modified Date: October 2008