Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Great Plains and northeastern North America
Habitat: Common in coniferous forests, especially where ponderosa is dominant.
Flowers: June-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Myco-heterotrophic herbs with simple stems 3-10 dm. tall, the stems reddish-brown, glandular-hairy and fleshy when in bloom, but over-wintering as dry, fibrous stalks.
Leaves alternate, small and scale-like, few on the upper stem.
Flowers many in an elongated raceme, often equal to the rest of the stem; pedicels recurved, 5-15 mm. long, from the axils of linear bracts; calyx deeply 5-parted, glandular-hairy, about half the length of the corolla; corolla entire, pale yellow, glabrous, broadly urn-shaped, 5-8 mm. long, the 5 short lobes spreading; stamens 10, the anthers ovoid with 2 dorsal, recurved awns; ovary superior.
Capsule 5-celled, depressed-globose, 8-12 mm. broad.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Pterospora andromedea in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Pterospora andromedea checklist entry
OregonFlora: Pterospora andromedea information
E-Flora BC: Pterospora andromedea atlas page
CalPhotos: Pterospora andromedea photos