Actinocyclus secundus (L.) Klotzsch var. elatior Lange, Vidensk. Meddel. Dansk Naturhist. Foren. Kjbenhavn 9: 115.  1868.  Ramischia elatior (Lange) Rydberg, N. Amer. Fl. 29(1): 29.  1914.  Orthilia elatior (Lange) House, Amer. Midl. Naturalist 7: 134.  1921.  Ramischia secunda (L.) Garcke var. elatior (Lange) Andres, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 19: 217.  1923.  Pyrola elatior (Lange) Lundell, Lloydia 2: 104.  1939.  Type:  Mexico. Veracruz: "Pico de Orizaba ad Vacqueria del Jacal," 3076 m, Sep 1841 (fl, fr), Liebmann 8659 [lectotype designated by Dorr (1995): C;  isolectotypes: C, G, GH, K].

     Herbs or subshrubs, 1.2-2.7(-3.3) dm tall.  Leaves glossy, ovate, broadly-ovate, or ovate-elliptic to orbicular, (1-)2-4.7(-5.8) x 0.7-2.8(-3.5) cm, basally rounded to acute, apically acute, obtuse, rounded, or mucronulate, surface discolorous, light green above, pale green below;  petioles channeled above, smooth, 0.4-2 cm long, reddish-brown.  Inflorescences usually solitary, erect, (6-)8-15(-20)-flowered;  scape terete, 1-2(-3) dm tall, smooth;  scape bracts membranous, subulate to narrowly-ovate or broadly-lanceolate, (3-)4-9 x 1-2 mm, base auriculate and clasping, apex acuminate (rarely apiculate), margin somewhat hyaline, slightly erose-denticulate, light reddish-brown;  flower-bearing portion of scape 2.5-5 cm tall, expanding in fruit, finely papillate or smooth;  pedicels terete, finely papillate or smooth, (1-)3-7(-9) mm long, light reddish-brown;  bracts subtending the pedicels membranous, subulate to lanceolate-ovate or narrowly-ovate, abruptly acute, ± equal in length to the pedicels, 4-9 x ca. 1 mm, margin somewhat hyaline, slightly erose-denticulate, light reddish-brown, persistent.  Flowers with calyx 1-2 mm long, the lobes broadly triangular to ovate, bases overlapping, apically obtuse or rounded, slightly erose-denticulate, 0.5-1 x 0.75-1.2 mm, margin erose-denticulate, greenish;  corolla ca. 5-6 mm long and ca. 4 mm diam., the petals broadly ovate, 4.5-6 x 3-4 mm, slightly erose-denticulate or irregularly toothed at the apex;  stamens ca. 4-6 mm long;  filaments ca. 3-6 mm long;  anthers 1.2-1.8 mm long, the anther sacs light-brown;  ovary subglobose;  style 3-5(-6) mm long;  stigma ca. 1 mm diam.  Capsule 3-5 x 4-6 mm.

     Distribution.  Jalisco, the high mountains of south-central Mexico (the Neovolcanic Belt and southern Sierra Madre Oriental), and south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the mountains of Chiapas and western Guatemala;  rocky substrates on moist (rarely dry), shady slopes and stream banks in Abies-Pinus, Alnus-Pinus, Pinus-Quercus, Abies, Pinus, or Abies-Pseudotsuga-Pinus forests, occasionally in disturbed areas at (1850-)2000-4038 m;  flowering Jun through Sep;  fruiting Jul through Mar.