Pterospora sp.
Pinedrops, Pinedrops
(c) Alan Rockefeller, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Rockefeller · licence
Family: Ericaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Pterospora sp. (Pinedrops) is a native California perennial in the Ericaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Sarcodes: Pterospora is tall, thin, and brownish; Sarcodes is short, thick, and bright red.; vs Pyrola: Pterospora lacks green leaves entirely; Pyrola has a basal rosette of green wintergreen leaves.; vs Pleuricospora: Pterospora has dry capsules that split open; Pleuricospora produces soft fleshy berries.; vs Allotropa: Pterospora is uniformly brownish-pink; Allotropa has bold red-and-white candy-cane stripes.; vs Corallorhiza: Pterospora has dense urn-shaped flowers; Corallorhiza has scattered bilateral orchid flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pterospora sp. native to California?
Yes. Pterospora sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Pterospora sp. belong to?
Pterospora sp. is in the Ericaceae family, genus Pterospora.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.