Pyroloideae is a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

of plants in the family

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 ...

. It was formerly treated as a separate family, Pyrolaceae.Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards).
Ericaceae
''Angiosperm Phylogeny Website''. Retrieved 2014-12-29. It has also been treated as the tribe Pyroleae within the subfamily

Monotropoideae Monotropoideae, sometimes referred to as monotropes, are a flowering plant subfamily in the Family (biology), family Ericaceae. Members of this subfamily are notable for their mycoheterotrophic and non-photosynthesizing or achlorophyllous characte ...

. It consists of four genera: '' Chimaphila'' containing 5 species, '' Pyrola'' containing 30 species and '' Moneses'' and '' Orthilia'' which are

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...

. They are mixotrophic, gaining nutrition from

photosynthesis Photosynthesis ( ) is a system of biological processes by which photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical energy necessary to fuel their metabo ...

, but also from mycorrhizal fungi.

Genera list

References

Asterid subfamilies {{Ericaceae-stub