Rose twisted-stalk
(Streptopus lanceolatus)
Information
Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
not listed
NatureServe
NNR - Unranked
SNR - Unranked
Minnesota
not listed
Wetland Indicator Status
Great Plains
FAC - Facultative
Midwest
FAC - Facultative
Northcentral & Northeast
FACU - Facultative upland
Description
The stem is hairy, branching, twisted, and jointed at the leaf axils giving it a zigzag appearance.
Upper leaves are stalkless and may be slightly clasping. Larger leaves, those below the branch, may be strongly clasping. The underside is pale but is not covered with a whitish, waxy coating (glaucous). The leaf margins have a fringe of hairs that is visible to the naked eye.
The flowers hang singly on stems up to 2″ long that are twisted or have an abrupt bend in the middle. They have 3 petals and 3 petal-like sepals (tepals) that turn backward only at the tip. The tepals are pink or maroon.
The fruit is a bright red, more or less round berry.
Height
12″ to 36″
Flower Color
Pink
Similar Species
Smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum) is a taller plant, reaching up to 48″ at maturity. The stems are hairless, unbranched, and do not zigzag. The leaves sometimes clasp the stem. The leaves have 7 to 19, parallel veins. The inflorescences are small clusters of 2 to 15 cylinder-shaped flowers. The peduncles are not strongly bent backward. The fruits are dark blue-violet when mature.
Habitat
Moderate moisture. Forests.
Ecology
Flowering
June to July
Pests and Diseases
Use
Distribution
Sources
Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu. Accessed 2/2/2026).
Midwest Herbaria Portal. 2026. https://midwestherbaria.org/portal/index.php. Accessed 2/2/2026.
Streptopus lanceolatus (Aiton) Reveal in GBIF Secretariat (2023). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-02-02.Nativity
Native
Occurrence
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Subkingdom
Pteridobiotina
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Order
Liliales (Lilies, Supplejacks, and Allies)
Family
Liliaceae (Lily)
Subfamily
Streptopoideae (Fairybells, Fetid Adderstongues, and Twistedstalks)
Genus
Streptopus (Twisted-stalks)
Subfamily
GRIN places the gemus Streptopus in the subfamily Calochortoideae. The latest classification of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, APG IV, places Streptopus in the subfamily Streptopoideae.
Species
This species was formerly named Streptopus roseus. In 1993 the species and its varieties were reclassified as Streptopus lanceolatus.
Subordinate Taxa
Historically, four varieties of Streptopus lanceolatus were recognized (including var. longipes, found in Minnesota) based on the density of the cilia (fine hairs) along the leaf margins and the length of the rhizome internodes. While USDA PLANTS and World Plants still maintain these distinctions, major modern authorities—including the Flora of North America, World Flora Online, Plants of the World Online, GBIF, and GRIN—no longer recognize them because the physical traits often overlap and grade into one another.
Synonyms
Hekorima atropurpurea
Hekorima atropurpurea
Hekorima dichotoma
Hexorima dichotoma
Streptopus curvipes
Streptopus lanceolatus var. curvipes
Streptopus lanceolatus var. longipes
Streptopus lanceolatus var. roseus
Streptopus longipes
Streptopus roseus
Streptopus roseus ssp. curvipes
Streptopus roseus ssp. longipes
Streptopus roseus ssp. perspectus
Streptopus roseus var. curvipes
Streptopus roseus var. longipes
Streptopus roseus var. perspectus
Streptopus roseus var. roseus
Streptopus roseus var. typicus
Uvularia lanceolata
Uvularia rosea
Common Names
rose mandarin
rose twisted-stalk
rosybells
scoot berry
scootberry
twistedstalk
Photos
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Minnesota Seasons Photos
Slideshows
Slideshows
Rose Twisted Stalk
DianesDigitals
Rose Twisted Stalk (Streptopus roseus) (Streptopus lanceolatus)
Andree Reno Sanborn
Videos
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Other Videos
MyNature Apps: Identifying Rosey Bells, Streptopus roseus
MyNatureApps
Sightings
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Luciearl
June 2025
Location: Cass County
Luciearl
5/24/2025
Location: Cass County