 Round-leaf
orchis, one-leaf orchid
Amerorchis rotundifolia (am-er-OR-kiss row-tund-e-FOE-lee-a)
Blooms: June - July
Appearance: Single basal leaf, up to 4” long with a leafless
flower stalk, 4 - 10” long, with 2 - 12 pinkish flowers with a darker
pink spotted lip.
Rarity: Rare, E (State), G4 S1 (TNC)
Comments: Has not been seen in NY this century, previously found
in northern white-cedar swamps. Photograph by Mildred Faust. |
 Calypso,
fairyslipper
Calypso bulbosa (ca-LIP-so bul-BO-sa)
Blooms: May - June
Appearance: Plant 4 - 6” tall with a round ribbed shiny green
leaf, 1.5” long, with an unforgettable pink “fairy-slipper”
shaped flower.
Rarity: Rare, E (State), G5 SH (TNC)
Comments: Typically found in northern white-cedar swamps, not seen
in NY for over 50 years. Photograph by Mildred Faust.
|
 Striped
coral-root
Corallorhiza striata (cor-a-lo-RYE-sa stry-ATE-a)
Blooms: June through July
Appearance: Naked, flesh colored stem, 6 - 14” tall, alone or
in a clump, with purplish flowers striped with dark red, appears somewhat
like a peppermint candy cane in the sunlight.
Rarity: Rare, E (State), G5 S1 (TNC)
Comments: Typically found in northern white-cedar swamps, only known
from one site in NY. A saprophytic species, containing no chlorophyll, obtaining
all its nutrients from its mycorrhizal association. |
 Small
white lady’s-slipper
Cypripedium candidum (sip-re-PEE-dee-um CAN-did-um)
Blooms: May through June
Appearance: 4 - 10” tall with 1 - 3 flowers per stem, 1 - 2”
in width. Pouch white with lavender inside, sepals purple. Leaves robust,
lance shaped.
Rarity: Rare, E (State), G4 S1 (TNC)
|
 Showy
lady’s-slipper
Cypripedium reginae (sip-re-PEE-dee-um re-GEEN-ay)
Blooms: June through July
Appearance: One of the largest and showiest of the native orchids,
up to 3’ tall with fuzzy green leaves. Can have 3 - 7 blossoms per
stem, with a bright pink pouch and white petals.
Rarity: Occasional, V (State)
Comments: Albino forms are fairly common. Some people develop a reaction
similar to poison ivy from touching the leaves.
|
 Heartleaf
twayblade
Listera cordata (LIS-ter-a caw-DAY-ta)
Blooms: May through August
Appearance: 2 - 4” tall with pair of small leaves below flower
stalk. Flowers small, 8 - 17 in number, copper-red to whitish.
Rarity: Occasional, V (State)
Comments: Especially common in northern white-cedar swamps.
|
 Northern
green orchid, tall leafy northern green bog orchid
Platanthera aquilonis (pla-TAN-ther-a aqua-LONE-iss)
Blooms: June through August
Appearance: Highly variable in size, from 12 - 40”, stems of
robust plants can hold many small greenish-yellow flowers. Leaves are up
to 10” long and oblong to lance shaped.
Rarity: Local, V (State)
Comments: Has a similar appearance to Platanthera huronensis, but
flowers yellower with no scent. Previously thought to be the European P.
hyperborea but recently distinguished from this species. Also found in rich
mesic forests.
|
 Eastern
prairie fringed orchid
Platanthera leucophaea (pla-TAN-ther-a lew-co-FEE-a)
Blooms: July through August
Appearance: 12 - 35” tall with 5 - 200 creamy white fringed
flowers about 1 - 2” wide, fragrant.
Rarity: Rare, T (federal), E (State), G2 SH (TNC)
Comments: Not seen in NY for over 50 years. Center of population
in midwestern prairies.
|
Blunt-leaved
orchid
Plantanthera obtusata (pla-TAN-ther-a  ob-tu-SAY-ta)
Blooms: June through August
Appearance: One of the smallest of our native orchids, with one oblong
basal leaf, 2 - 4” long, which supports a 4 - 12” flower stalk
which can hold up to 15 small white flowers.
Rarity: Local to occasional, V (State)
Comments: Especially common in northern white-cedar swamps. |
 Wide-leaf
lady’s-tresses, shining lady’s-tresses
Spiranthes lucida (spur-ANN-theez LEW-se-da)
Blooms: May through July
Appearance: Plant 2 - 6” tall with 5 - 18 small flowers, white
with a bright yellow throat, spirally arranged around the stem. Leaves long
and grass-like.
Rarity: Rare to local, V (State)
Comments: Can also be found in wet meadows associated with graminoid
species.
|
 Hooded
lady’s-tresses
Spiranthes romanzoffiana (spur-ANN-theez ro-man-ZOFF-ee-a-na)
Blooms: July through September
Appearance: 4 - 10” tall with 12 - 24 small white flowers arranged
spirally around the flower stalk. Leaves long and grass-like.
Rarity: Rare to local, V (State)
Comments: Large populations can be found in graminoid fens.
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