North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Mitella diphylla

Mitella diphylla L.

two-leaf bishop's-cap, two-leaved miterwort, twoleaf miterwort

Synonym(s): Mitella oppositifolia

Mitella diphylla (Two-leaf Bishop's-cap)

Image ID: 15711
Image by: Sorrie, Bruce A.
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: MIDI3
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Mitella diphylla
Include in WOTAS: 1
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2018-11-27

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: MITEL
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Mitella
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Miterwort
GENUS SUMMARY: As traditionally circumscribed, a genus of about 20 species, herbs, of cold temperate e. North America, w. North America, and e. Asia. Soltis (2007), Okuyama, Pellmyr, & Kato (2008), and Folk & Freudenstein (2014) indicate that Mitella as currently circumscribed is polyphyletic and is likely to be divided; Mitella diphylla will remain in Mitella, as it is the type of the genus, probably along with only one additional species, Mitella nuda Linnaeus.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION:
GENUS REFERENCES: Soltis & Freeman in FNA (2009); Soltis in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007).

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: SAXIFR
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Saxifragaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: A.L. de Jussieu 1789
FAMILY COMMON: Saxifrage Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: If narrowly circumscribed (as here), a family of about 35 genera and 500-650 species, herbs (mianly perennial), nearly cosmopolitan, but especially diverse in warm temperate and cold temperate regions of North America and Eurasia. The circumscription of a much narrower Saxifragacaeae is clearly warranted, based on a wide variety of data, and strongly corroborated by molecular data (Morgan & Soltis 1993 and many later references).
FAMILY REFERENCE: Wells & Elvander in FNA (2009); Spongberg (1972); Morgan & Soltis (1993); Soltis in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007). [also see GROSSULARIACEAE, HYDRANGEACEAE, ITEACEAE, PARNASSIACEAE, and PENTHORACEAE]

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO: Erect, rhizomatous perennial found in moist rocky forests, rocky seeps and seepage swamps, especially over mafic or calcareous rocks.
STEMS: Stems thin, sparsely hairy below and glandular-hairy above.
LEAVES: Leaves mostly basal, with a pair of opposite (sometimes alternate) leaves on the stem and sometimes a third leaf just above; petiolate to sessile; oval to round in outline; 1-3 in. long; divided into 3-5 shallow lobes (the terminal lobe prolonged); palmately veined; toothed.
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS: Flowers 5--20 in a narrow terminal raceme, white, less than ¼ in. wide, consisting of 5 spreading tiny petals that are pinnately divided into minute, obliquely ascending segments, creating a snowflake-like appearance. The calyx is bell-shaped.
FRUITS: Fruit a 2-beaked capsule containing numerous, tiny seeds.
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 8-16 in.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb

LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Opposite
LEAF COMPLEXITY: Simple
LEAF RETENTION:

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY: Radial (Actinomorphic)
BLOOM TIME: Apr-Jun

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
		x	x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: White

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Moist forests
NATIVE RANGE: eastern North America

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text: A member of the Saxifragaceae family along with Tiarella, Astilbe and Heuchera, Bishop’s cap is found growing in rich wet woods and along stream banks in the mountains of VA, NC, SC, and GA, and east to the piedmont and coastal plain of VA. This species prefers medium to deep shade and can tolerate drier conditions. The flowers are sparsely arranged on a short, slender, erect spike and have delicate fringed petals. Bishop’s cap is a great addition to the shade garden and is most effective when planted en masse as a ground cover.

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Average, Moist/Wet
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 4
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE: 9
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE: Bee Friendly
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
97	2012-0069	2012-06-06	98	View
3385	1991-0009			View
3593	1991-0256			View
3913	1992-0061			View
8953	1991-0251	0000-00-00	1207	View

GRIM COLLECTIONS

Coll_id	Project	Collection date	Collector	Action
98	HORT	2011-05-02	Ward	View
1207	HORT	1991-04-24		View
1382	HORT	2006-05-01	Bryan	View
1706	HORT	2005-01-01	Bryan	View
1720	HORT	2005-01-01	Bryan	View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
143	97	34	Mixon	2012-05-31	View
144	97	142	Steen	2012-05-01	View
145	97	66	Steen	2012-05-01	View
146	97	65	Steen	2012-05-01	View
147	97	78	Steen	2012-05-01	View
148	97	79	Liloia	2012-10-12	View
149	97	74	Liloia	2013-11-27	View
150	97	77	Steen	2012-05-01	View
151	97	79	Steen	2012-05-01	View
5617	3385	75	NCBG staff	1990-03-19	View
5868	8953	76	NCBG staff	1991-04-24	View
5873	3593	188	NCBG staff	1991-05-08	View
6227	3913	75	NCBG staff	1992-04-23	View
13365	0	187	Liloia	0000-00-00	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: MIDI3
USDA Common Name: Twoleaf Miterwort
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV), CAN (ON, QC)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACU				FACU	FACU		FACU	FACU

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Mitella diphylla
COMMON NAME: Two-leaved Miterwort
SYNONYMY: [= C, F, FNA, G, GW, K, Mo, Pa, RAB, S, Va, W, WV]
PHENOLOGY: Apr-Jun.
HABITAT: Mesic, rocky forests, rocky seeps, and seepage swamps, especially over mafic or calcareous rocks.
COMMENTS: QC west to MN, south to e. VA, w. NC, nw. SC, ne. GA, nw. GA, and MO. The fringed petals will reward a close look.
RANGE MAP: Mitella diphylla.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Saxifragaceae A.L. de Jussieu 1789 (Saxifrage Family)
SUMMARY: If narrowly circumscribed (as here), a family of about 35 genera and 500-650 species, herbs (mianly perennial), nearly cosmopolitan, but especially diverse in warm temperate and cold temperate regions of North America and Eurasia. The circumscription of a much narrower Saxifragacaeae is clearly warranted, based on a wide variety of data, and strongly corroborated by molecular data (Morgan & Soltis 1993 and many later references).
REFERENCE: Wells & Elvander in FNA (2009); Spongberg (1972); Morgan & Soltis (1993); Soltis in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007). [also see GROSSULARIACEAE, HYDRANGEACEAE, ITEACEAE, PARNASSIACEAE, and PENTHORACEAE]

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Mitella L. (Miterwort)
SUMMARY: As traditionally circumscribed, a genus of about 20 species, herbs, of cold temperate e. North America, w. North America, and e. Asia. Soltis (2007), Okuyama, Pellmyr, & Kato (2008), and Folk & Freudenstein (2014) indicate that Mitella as currently circumscribed is polyphyletic and is likely to be divided; Mitella diphylla will remain in Mitella, as it is the type of the genus, probably along with only one additional species, Mitella nuda Linnaeus.
REFERENCE: Soltis & Freeman in FNA (2009); Soltis in Kubitzki, Bayer, & Stevens (2007).

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Mitella diphylla in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Mitella diphylla in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Mitella diphylla in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Mitella diphylla in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Mitella diphylla in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Mitella diphylla

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 15711 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 15711 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 22945 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)