Isotria medeoloides

(Pursh) Rafinesque

Fl. Tellur. 4: 47. 1838.

Common names: Small whorled pogonia orchid
EndemicConservation concern
Basionym: Arethusa medeoloides Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 591. 1814
Synonyms: Pogonia affinis Austin ex A. Gray
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 512.

Herbs, singly or rarely in small clumps, short-rhizomatous, 4–25 cm. Stems pale grayish green, glaucous; scales 2–4, near soil line, white to light green. Leaves pale grayish green; blade elliptic-obovate, 17–85 × 8–40 mm, apex acuminate, glaucous when young. Flowers subsessile, without nectar and fragrance; sepals arching, green to light green, linear-oblanceolate, 12–25 × 2–3 mm; petals light green, oblanceolate, 12–18 × 2–4 mm; lip light yellowish green to pale greenish white, streaked with green, obovate, 11–16 × 4–5 mm, lateral lobes narrowly triangular, margins involute, middle lobe rounded, margins slightly revolute, undulate; callus yellowish green, longitudinal, becoming elongate, with fleshy, wartlike papillae toward apex; column 8–10 mm; ovary 10–15 mm; rostellar flap reduced. Capsules 12–28 × 2–10 mm; pedicel of mature capsule elongating to 5–17(–20, rarely) mm. 2n = 18.


Phenology: Flowering May–Jun; capsules mature fall.
Habitat: Acidic soils, in dry to mesic 2d-growth, deciduous or deciduous-coniferous forests, typically light to moderate leaf litter, open herb layer (occasionally in dense ferns), moderate to light shrub layer, relatively open canopy, frequently on flats or slope bases near canopy breaks
Elevation: 30–1000 m

Distribution

V26 1044-distribution-map.jpg

Ont., Conn., Del., Ga., Ill., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Vt., Va.

Discussion

Isotria medeoloides should be sought in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

Isotria medeoloides is self-pollinating (L. A. Mehrhoff 1983). Nonflowering plants commonly have a white, arrested floral bud (1–2 mm).

of conservation concern

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Isotria medeoloides"
Loyal A. Mehrhoff +  and Michael A. Homoya +
(Pursh) Rafinesque +
Arethusa medeoloides +
Small whorled pogonia orchid +
Ont. +, Conn. +, Del. +, Ga. +, Ill. +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mich. +, Mo. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, N.C. +, Ohio +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, Tenn. +, Vt. +  and Va. +
30–1000 m +
Acidic soils, in dry to mesic 2d-growth, dAcidic soils, in dry to mesic 2d-growth, deciduous or deciduous-coniferous forests, typically light to moderate leaf litter, open herb layer (occasionally in dense ferns), moderate to light shrub layer, relatively open canopy, frequently on flats or slope bases near canopy breakson flats or slope bases near canopy breaks +
Flowering May–Jun +  and capsules mature fall. +
Fl. Tellur. +
brumback1988a +, dyer1986a +, mehrhoff1989a +, mehrhoff1989b +, oettingen1992a +  and paulos1985a +
Endemic +  and Conservation concern +
Pogonia affinis +
Isotria medeoloides +
species +