Caprifoliaceae

Linnaea borealis

Twinflower

Creeping evergreen vine, often forming large mats. Stems with short-petioled leaves. Leaves opposite, oval, shiny, with few shallow teeth on upper edges. Flowers in pair at top of leafless, 2 in., erect stalk. Flowers are fragrant, pale pink, trumpet-shaped, nodding bells. Seed, when dry, has sticky hairs that attach to passing creatures for dispersal. Grows in moist shady woods, forests, from near coastline to timberline. Circumboreal. The genus is named for Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778), father of modern botanical nomenclature.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: All Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 2--6 inches
• Habitat: West-Side Forest, East-Side Forest
• Found In: Olympic Np, Mt. Rainier Np, N Cascades Np, Crater Lake Np, Siskiyous, West Gorge
• Native: Yes