''Moneses uniflora'', the one-flowered wintergreen (British Isles), single delight, wax-flower, shy maiden, star of Bethlehem (Aleutians), St. Olaf's candlestick (Norway), wood nymph, or frog's reading lamp, is a plant of the family of

Ericaceae The Ericaceae () are a Family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with about 4,250 known species spread acros ...

, that is indigenous to moist coniferous forests in temperate regions of the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined by humans as being in the same celestial sphere, celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the Solar ...

from Spain to Japan and across North America. It is the sole member of genus ''Moneses''.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Moneses'' originates from the Greek work ''moses,'' which translates to 'solitary,' and ''hesia,'' meaning 'delight,' referencing the single flower which blooms on the plant. The plant is also referred to as wood nymph, referencing a nature goddess figure in Greek mythology that lived in forests and resembled beautiful women.

Description and range

''Moneses uniflora'' is a small plant, typically no taller than 10 cm tall. A

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

with a slender rhizome, the leaves are basal or low, oval-elliptic to obovate, from 10 to 30 mm in diameter, with small teeth. The petiole is shorter than the leaf diameter. Each stem terminates in a nodding, fragrant flower on a stem from 30 to 170 mm high. The corolla has a diameter of 15 to 25 mm. The spreading five white petals are slightly rumpled and are said to resemble an open white umbrella. The

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s are oval, separate and white-greenish. The flower has ten anthers, a noticeable style, and a distinctive five-pronged stigma. Flowering occurs from May to October. ''Moneses uniflora'' has floral features (like poricidal anthers and small apical pores) consistent with flowers that reproduce through

buzz pollination Buzz pollination or sonication is a technique used by some bees, such as solitary bees and bumblebees, to release pollen which is more or less firmly held by the anthers. The anthers of buzz-pollinated plant species are typically tubular, with an ...

. The single delight's nodding flower and anther's small apical pores allow for bees in flight to sonicate mid-flight, releasing and transferring pollen between flowers. Although attractive to bees, the flower produces no nectar, and reproduces through seed. The plant grows in moist forest environments in the holartic realm and is commonly found across North America and Eurasia. The plant flourishes in coniferous forest conditions in cooler temperatures, and is often found growing on moss and rotting plant material.

Use in Indigenous cultures

''Moneses uniflora'' has long and significant histories with several Indigenous nations across North America. The

Haida people The Haida (, , , , ) are an Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. They constitute one of 203 First Nations in British Columbia and 231 federally recognized List of Alaska Native tribal entities, tribes in Alaska. T ...

harvested ''Moneses uniflora'' in July then dried it. The flower and fruit-producing parts of the plant were removed, while the vegetative parts were boiled into a tea, sometimes with licorice fern and

Labrador tea Labrador tea is a common name for three closely related plant species in the genus ''Rhododendron'' as well as a herbal tea made from their leaves. All three species are primarily wetland plants in the Ericaceae, heath family. Labrador tea has b ...

. The tea was used to soothe colds, the flu, smallpox and cancer. The Haida people also drank it for power and luck. In one Haida story, (the "Copper Salmon"), the gambling son of a chief is sent to the forest to consume medicine; first devil's club, then ''Moneses uniflora'' or in the Haida language, ''xiláawg'.'' Consuming these plants cleanses his intestines and gives him the power to stop his behaviour. The Makah people also boiled ''Moneses uniflora'' with Labrador tea and licorice fern, using the entire plant to soothe coughs. They also used the plant to draw blisters. The Kwakwaka'wakw people have used ''Moneses uniflora'' in poultices for swelling and pain, as it causes blisters. The blisters would be opened with broken mussel shells and smeared with catfish oil. When the loose skin peeled off, the site would be washed with gooseberry root extract and covered with plantain leaves until healed.

Applications in Science

Several First Nations within North America have indicated ''Moneses uniflora'' as a traditional medicine for tuberculosis. Some scientific studies have explored the antifungal/viral/biotic properties of single delight flower extracts, and found that aerial parts from ''Moneses uniflora'' have inhibited growth against ''M. tuberculosis'' and ''M. avium'' mycobacteria.

References

External links

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Calflora

Jepson Flora Project (1993)
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q159496, from2=Q158049 Pyroloideae Flora of Northern Europe Monotypic Ericaceae genera