Amerorchis rotundifolia (Small Round-leaved Orchid)
Also known as: | Round-leaved Orchis |
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Genus: | Amerorchis |
Family: | Orchidaceae (Orchid) |
Life cycle: | perennial |
Origin: | native |
Habitat: | part shade, shade; coniferous swamps, peat bogs, fens |
Bloom season: | June - July |
Plant height: | 8 to 14 inches |
Wetland Indicator Status: | none |
MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): | |
National distribution (click map to enlarge): |
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Detailed Information
Flower:
A slender smooth raceme of 4 to 18 irregular flowers each ½ to ¾ inch wide and high, on the ends of ½ inch green ovaries with a single bract up to ¾ inch long. The upper lip is a pinkish hood. The lower lip is white with purple spots and 3-lobed, with the middle lobe largest and notched at the tip. 2 petal-like white sepals spread out at the sides with a third over the hood. A curving spur hangs down at the back. A very cheerful and merry clown-like flower with a pink hood, white drapped side arms and purple polka-dot pantaloons on.
Leaves and stem:
A single basal leaf 2 to 6 inches long, ¾ to 3½ inches wide, generally oval to elliptic, toothless, hairless, and blunted at the tip. The single flowering stem is smooth and green.
Fruit:
Fruit is an erect capsule, ½ to ¾ inch long.
Notes:
An exciting wildflower to come upon, it is not so rare but its habitat is rarely visited. Common on the large peatlands of northwest and north-central Minnesota it is also a denizen of dark coniferous bogs of the NE. In some references, this species goes by synonym Galearis rotundifolia.
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More photos
Photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk, taken on SNA lands in Cass County
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2013-07-02 20:15:53
We found many small patches of small round-leaved orchids in full bloom in a mature tamarack stand south of Blackduck on July 2, 2013.
on: 2016-03-23 07:25:05
thx this helped me...😃