Differs from ssp. hypophegea by its hairy style and ovary, the oval shape of the ovary, and the predominant distribution in coniferous forests (Seybold 2011). Wallace (1975), treating this species as Monotropa hypopitys, does not accept subspecies but lists 84 synonyms instead. In fact, POWO and WFO both treat Hypopitys monotropa and its subspecies as synonyms to Monotropa hypopitys.